I WISH to complain in the most stringent way as to how Basildon Hospital is again charging a ‘silent’ tax on the ill, the sick, the elderly, and the general public.

Basildon hospital has recently changed their number to a 0845 number.

I appreciated that this is a ‘local’ call cost, however, there are lots of people like me who have paid a fee to their telephone company to have unlimited calls to geographical numbers and not 0845/0870 numbers and the like, or just have a mobile phone for contact.

I understand that while 0845 numbers are at a local cost they also bring in small revenue to the hospital per call!

While talking to the hospital operator I requested a ‘geographical’ number i.e. the real number to phone from my mobile, she said that she was ‘not allowed to give out this number.’

It has to be noted at this point that although they say it is the cost of a local call, as all too many people use mobile phones now days, and have free calls within their contract, or have to pay if they have ‘pay as you go’ phones, if they make a call to 0845 numbers this WILL cost them 20p per min (from O2)!

If I was abroad and looking to call the hospital, perhaps to find out how a family member was doing, as I have had to do in the past, this would cost me the price of the international call and a further 20p per min.

With the above in mind, I wish to complain in the strongest way possible.

David Meacham,
On behalf of all patients and visitors to Basildon Hospital.