SOME doctors' surgeries in Bournemouth and Poole have introduced higher call charges and even earn money from patients booking appointments, the Echo has learned.

It is a double whammy following April's news of a 160 per cent price hike in calls from bedside phones in hospitals in Bournemouth and Poole. Service provider Patientline is raising charges from 10 pence per minute to 26p.

And now patients calling their GPs are paying more.

At least eight practices have abandoned their local numbers and now use numbers with an 0844 code.

So rather than paying 3p peak time and 1p off peak, callers will now pay at flat fee of 5p per minute from anywhere in the UK. Practices also get a rebate of up to 1.5p per minute on incoming calls.

Canford Heath Group was the latest to introduce such a number last Friday, but senior partner Anthony Howe said it was a vital upgrade to handle the volume of callers at peak times.

He said: "Many practices have decided to put in a more modern system to answer criticism from patients that they can never get through to doctors' surgeries because lines are engaged, particularly first thing in the morning."

The new system directs patients to all services and departments and holds them in a queue when lines are engaged.

Dr Howe added: "Hopefully 5p per minute is not going to break the bank, and if it means patients can get through without the issue of a litany of engaged tones, then I think that is an improvement."

He added any money earned would pay for the expensive installation of the system, and be ploughed back into the practice in the longer term.

Members of local Patient Public Involvement forums have called for surgeries to be more open.

Member Barbara Plumbridge said she had heard of a patient who rang their surgery and was told they were 20th in the queue.

She said: "If GP surgeries are making a profit out of these phone numbers, then their patients should be told."

She added: "The PPI Forum is an independent, voluntary group and if we can gather more information about this issue, we will act upon it, so please call us with your comments on 0845 4500 418."

Gervis Road Surgery, Holdenhurst Road Surgery, Lilliput Surgery, Longfleet House Surgery, Moordown Medical Centre. Rosemary Medical Practice and Talbot Medical Practice also have 0844 numbers.

A spokesman for Longfleet House Surgery said the old system couldn't cope with demand and claimed the new number cost callers the same as calls to a BT landline.