Posts from — December 2009
Government bans 08!! numbers in NHS
Do you remember the petition I asked you to sign stopping hospitals making a profit from patients phoning them?
Well we won. Hurrah!
Collective action works.
Read the Government’s response
The Department of Health proposes to ban the use of premium rate numbers by NHS organisations. It has recently consulted on the use of 084 numbers in the NHS. The Department’s response to the consultation was published on 14 September, and is available on its website at: www.dh.gov.uk by typing ‘084 consultation response’ into the search bar.
The Department received approximately 3,000 responses to the consultation exercise; 2,000 from members of the public, a further 1,000 from the NHS, and a small number of responses from industry and other stakeholder organisations.
The consultation demonstrated that there is overwhelming support for the banning of numbers which cost the patient more to call than if they had called a normal geographical number (for example, numbers beginning 01 or 02). As a result of the consultation, the Department intends to amend legislation to stop the use of any telephone numbers which charge patients more to contact the NHS than the equivalent call to a geographical number. This will be enforced through amendments to the GP contract regulations, and the issuing of Directions to NHS Trusts and Primary Care Trusts (PCTs).
The ban will be enforced as soon as the necessary legislative changes can be made. This will be early next year for GP Practices, but as soon as practically possible for NHS Trusts and PCTs. The Department’s ongoing position on this issue has been that patients should not be expected to pay more than the equivalent cost of calling a geographical number, and, in the meantime, Ministers expect NHS organisations to continue to take this into account.
December 21, 2009 No Comments
Amnesty International – Greeting Card Campaign
Check out Amnesty’s website for their annual greeting card campaign.
This year my card is going to the peace community of Colombia
The community was created in March 1997 when people living in villages in the municipality of Apartadó, north-western Colombia, pledged not to be drawn into the conflict which has pitted the security forces and paramilitaries against guerrilla groups for more than 40 years. Their stance has met with suspicion and hostility from both sides.
Since then 170 members of the Peace Community have been killed or ‘disappeared’, while others have been threatened or sexually assaulted. Despite repeated orders from the Inter-American Court of Human Rights, the Colombian authorities have failed to take effective action to protect the community, falling short of their obligations under international law.
Download a case sheet for the Peace Community (PDF)
Update: 27 November 2009
On 24 September, the laptop and a USB memory stick belonging to Eduar Lanchero, who is a member of the Peace Community’s human rights commission, were stolen from his house. No other valuable items that where in the house at the time were stolen.
On the morning of 11 October, Eduar Lanchero received a death threat from paramilitaries. Eduar has been followed and threatened repeatedly. He has reportedly been followed by members of Colombia´s Department of Administrative Security (DAS).
During the past months members of the security forces have continued to accuse the members of the community of being guerrilla members. Such accusations may lead members of paramilitary or security forces to justify attacks and threats against the community.
Please continue to take action in support of the Peace Community of San José de Apartadó.
December 4, 2009 No Comments
