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Monday 23 April 2012

Virgin Care does not use 0844 telephone numbers in providing NHS services - its partners do that

Virgin Care provides "over 100 NHS services across the country with a focus on community and primary healthcare". This includes "GP practices where the appointment times are designed around real people’s lives and needs".

It has "a network of GP provider companies across the country". These "provide NHS services by combining the clinical skills and expertise of the local GPs with the business and service expertise of Virgin Care".

Its website includes links identifying the services provided by its GP partners. These include the following surgeries, where the terms of the current NHS GP contract are being breached by the continuing use of 0844 telephone numbers.


Virgin Care PartnershipPartnerSurgeryTelephone numberCall type
DarlingtonCarmel Medical PracticeDr Metcalfe & Partners - Nunnery Lane, Darlington, County Durham DL3 9SQ0844 477 8758 (g6)
Felix House SurgeryMARSHALL & PARTNERS - Middleton Lane - Middleton Lane, Middleton St George, Darlington, County Durham DL2 1AA0844 477 3139 (g6)
BlackpoolThe Arnold Medical CentreArnold Medical Centre - The Arnold Medical Centre, 204 St Annes Road, Blackpool, Lancashire FY4 2EF0844 499 6984 (g6)
LeedsHyde Park SurgeryDr O'shea T S & Partners - Hyde Park Surgery, Woodsley Road, Leeds LS6 1SG0844 375 6070 (g6)
Manor Park SurgeryDr Tolley J M & Partners - Manor Park Surgery, Bellmount Close, Bramley, Leeds LS13 2UP0844 477 3145 (g6)
Robin Lane Medical CentreDr Belderson L & Partners - Robin Lane Medical Centre, Robin Lane, Pudsey, Leeds LS28 7DE0844 477 3074 (g6)
Sunfield Medical CentreDr Broom C & Partners - Sunfield Medical Centre, Sunfield Place, Stanningley, Pudsey LS28 6DR0844 477 3900 (g6)
Westgate SurgeryWestgate Surgery - Westgate, Otley, Leeds LS21 3HD0844 576 9050 (g6)
Yeadon Tarn Medical PracticeThe Thakur Practice - Silver Lane Surgery, Suffolk Court, Silver Lane, Yeadon LS19 7JN0844 477 2553 (g6)
East RidingSt Nicholas SurgerySouth Holderness Medical Practice - South Holderness Med Practice, St Nicholas Surgery, Queen Street, Withernsea HU19 2PZ0844 477 3562 (g6)
St Nicholas SurgerySouth Holderness Medical Practice - The Surgery, St Patricks Green, Patrington HU12 0PF0844 477 3572 (g6)
The MarshesThe Marshes - Butt Lane, Snaith, Goole DN14 9DY0844 477 8699 (g6)
VertisBridge SurgeryDr G A Caranci & Partners - The Bridge Surgery, 8 Evesham Road, Headless Cross Redditch, Worcestershire B97 4LA0844 477 1758 (g6)
Church Hill Medical CentreDr C H Mc Gregor & Partners - Church Hill Medical Centre, Tanhouse Lane, Church Hill Redditch, Worcestershire B98 9AA0844 477 9455 (g6)
New Road Surgery (Rubery)Dr J N H Cheetham & Partners - New Road Surgery, 104-106 New Road, Rubery, Birmingham B45 9HY0844 556 0011 (g6)
New Road Surgery (Bromsgrove)Dr W G H Dowley & Partners - New Road Surgery, 46 New Road, Bromsgrove, Worcestershire B60 2JS0844 477 2419 (g6)
St Stephen’s SurgeryDr S J Parkinson & Partners - St Stephen's Surgery, Adelaide Street, Redditch, Worcestershire B97 4AL0844 477 3197 (g6)
The Medical CentreDrs Hakeem & Ahmad - Church Hill Medical Centre, Tanhouse Lane, Church Hill Redditch, Worcestershire B98 9AA0844 387 9666 (g11)
Winyates Health CentreDr N P Doherty & Partners - Winyates Health Centre, Winyates, Redditch, Worcestershire B98 0NR0844 477 3803 (g6)
Woodrow Medical CentreDr S Ananthram & Partners (Main Surgery) - Woodrow Medical Centre, Woodrow, Redditch, Worcestershire B98 7RY0844 477 3035 (g6)
CoventryAllesley Village SurgeryDr WHEATLEY & partner - 163 Birmingham Road, Allesley, Coventry, W Midlands CV5 9BD0844 477 3885 (g6)
LeicestershireBurbage SurgeryDr DA Jones & Partners - Tilton Road, Burbage, Hinckley, Leics LE10 2SE0844 477 1883 (g6)
Bushloe End SurgeryDr C Prideaux & Partners - 48 Bushloe End, Wigston, Leics LE18 2BA0844 815 1425 (g6)
Hollycroft Medical CentreDr N P Scarborough and Partners - Barwell Medical Centre, Jersey Way, Barwell, Leicestershire LE9 8HR0844 477 3917 (g6)
Long Lane SurgeryDr N R Pulman & Partners - Beacon House, Long Lane, Coalville, Leics LE67 4DR0844 477 3722 (g6)
Rosemead Drive SurgeryDr S Z Husain & Partners - 33 Harborough Road, Oadby, Leicester, Leics LE2 4LE0844 499 2858 (g6)
The Central SurgeryDr MJ Davies & Partners - Brooksby Drive, Oadby, Leicestershire LE2 5AA0844 499 6973 (g6)
CambridgeLensfield Medical PracticeLensfield Medical Practice. - 48 Lensfield Road, Cambridge, Cambs CB2 1EH0844 387 8222 (g11)
Red House Surgery96 Chesterton Road - The Red House Surgery, 96 Chesterton Road, Cambridge, Cambs CB4 1ER0844 477 3124 (g6)
Lea ValleyCastlegate SurgeryWATSON LJ - 42 Castle Street, Hertford, Herts SG14 1HH0844 815 1224 (g6)
ChelmsfordHumber Road SurgeryHumber Road Surgery - Humber Road Surgery, 27 Humber Road, Chelmsford, Essex CM1 7PE0844 387 8773 (g11)
Stock SurgeryStock Surgery - Common Road, Stock, Ingatestone, Essex CM4 9NF0844 477 3088 (g6)
MinervaWest View SurgeryDr Wj Coe & Partners - West View Surgery, 9 Park Road, Keynsham, Bristol BS31 1BX0844 880 2800 (g6)
WiltshireAdcroft SurgeryAdcroft Surgery - Adcroft Surgery, Prospect Place, Trowbridge, Wiltshire BA14 8QA0844 477 8988 (g6)
Bradford Road Medical CentreBradford Road Surgery - 60 Bradford Road, Trowbridge, Wiltshire BA14 9AR0844 477 3052 (g6)
Lovemead Group PracticeLovemead Group Practice - Lovemead Group Practice, Roundstone Surgery, Polebarn Circus, Trowbridge Wiltshire BA14 7EH0844 477 8952 (g6)
St James SurgerySt James Surgery - St James Surgery, Gains Lane, Devizes, Wiltshire SN10 1QU0844 477 8648 (g6)
The Southbroom SurgeryThe Southbroom Surgery - The Southbroom Surgery, The Green, Devizes, Wiltshire SN10 1LQ0844 477 8657 (g6)
Westbury Group PracticeEastleigh Surgery - Eastleigh Surgery, Station Road, Westbury, Wiltshire BA13 3JD0844 477 8760 (g6)
Westbury Group PracticeWhite Horse Surgery - Westbury Hospital, Hospital Road, Westbury, Wiltshire BA13 3EL0844 477 8762 (g6)
Westbury Group PracticeBratton Surgery - The Tynings, Bratton, Wiltshire BA13 4RR0844 477 8761 (g6)
HampshireHackwood PartnershipThe Hackwood Partnership - The Hackwood Partnership, Essex House, Essex Road, Basingstoke Hampshire RG21 8SU0844 477 3400 (g6)
ReadingLondon Street SurgeryDrs Essa & Harrold - The Surgery, 72 London Street, Reading, Berkshire RG1 4SJ0844 477 3950 (g6)
Russell Street SurgeryDr Swami Ml & Partners - The Surgery, 79 Russell Street, Reading, Berkshire RG1 7XG0844 477 8553 (g6)
SurreyStanwell Road SurgeryDr CARTER & partners - 95 Stanwell Road, Ashford, Middlesex TW15 3EA0844 387 9955 (g11)
WandleCheam Family PracticeThe Knoll - The Knoll Parkside, Cheam, Sutton, Surrey SM3 8BS0844 477 8584 (g6)
Cheam Family PracticeGander Green Lane - 263 Gander Green Lane, Sutton, Surrey SM1 2HD0844 477 8785 (g6)

The relative cost of calls to the "Call Types" shown can be found by consulting this table.

The false impression that Virgin Care is itself profiting from NHS patients by use of these expensive numbers is easily gained from the information on the website as quoted above.

There is however no doubt that the "business and service experience" of Virgin Care, including that derived from its sister company Virgin Media, will be of great assistance to its GP partners in recognising that callers pay more to call these numbers so as to provide the financial subsidy from which they benefit.

It will also help them to recognise that they can migrate from their 084 number to the equivalent 034 number within the term of their current contract for telephone service.



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