Released on: July 7, 2008, 4:40 am

Press Release Author: Mark Guy

Industry: Telecommunications

Press Release Summary: Windsor Telecom, the UK's leading provider of memorable phone
numbers and inbound call solutions, has published the first ever guide to the new
0300 telephone range for the healthcare sector, after recommendations from Health
Secretary Alan Johnson who has advocated the use of the new number range.

Press Release Body: Windsor Telecom (http://windsor-telecom.co.uk), the UK's leading
provider of memorable phone numbers and inbound call solutions, has published the
first ever guide to the new 0300 telephone range for the healthcare sector. The move
comes in response to recommendations from Health Secretary Alan Johnson and Lord
Norman Warner, who has publicly advocated the use of 0300 numbers in doctors'
surgeries, dentists and opticians, for patients accessing these services.

The free, 7 page guide outlines what 0300 numbers are and how they differ from other
memorable telephone numbers. The document also considers the reasons why many
healthcare organisations are now choosing memorable telephone numbers over standard
landline numbers, with the demand for smarter call systems (caller options for
patients, call divert out of hours etc.) largely being accredited for this.
Additionally, the paper explores the true costs involved in setting up and running
an 0300 number.

0300 numbers (http://windsor-telecom.co.uk/03) have become a priority for the
healthcare sector ever since Lord Warner sent a letter to all Primary Care Trusts
drawing attention to the Central Office of Information (COI) guidance on telephone
numbering. The COI document suggested that healthcare providers consider adopting an
0300 telephone number so that people 'do not have to pay over the odds to contact
their local services' - a stance shared by communications regulator Ofcom and more
recently, Health Secretary Alan Johnson.

Currently around one in ten GP practices now use 0844 numbers as the primary form of
contact for their patients and this has lead to widespread condemnation by the
national press. Headlines such as "Doctors\' surgeries \'ripping off\' patients with
premium rate call lines" and "Patients charged up to 40p a minute to call family
doctors" are frequently appearing in broadsheet and tabloid news. These articles
mainly focus on the costs incurred by patients who are dialling these numbers to
access their local services and the fact that some healthcare organisations are
actually making money from each call. This process of 'revenue sharing' is not
possible with 0300 numbers, as explained in the free paper.

Neil Sherring, chief executive of Windsor Telecom, said, "We decided to produce this
guide due to the increase in enquiries from our colleagues in the healthcare sector
and it's proving incredibly popular. It's only been available since the start of
July and we have already had to get another batch of the paper version printed! It's
a must for anyone working in healthcare who is considering using a memorable number
for their organisation or who already has an 08 number and is concerned about the
negative publicity and sometimes exaggerated costs surrounding these numbers. 0300
numbers are specifically designated for the public sector and the great thing is
that they cost the same to call as a standard 01 and 02 numbers - even from a mobile
phone. This guide outlines everything you need to know about the caller friendly
0300 numbers and it's free!"

The first ever guide to 0300 telephone numbers for the healthcare sector is
available from Windsor Telecom's website: http://www.windsor-telecom.co.uk/03


Web Site: http://www.windsor-telecom.co.uk

Contact Details: Mark Guy
Windsor Telecom
Braeside Business Park
Sterte Avenue West
Poole
Dorset
BH15 2BX

0845 230 1660