1:54pm Thursday 18th January 2007
By Rosalind Miles
A WITNEY medical centre launched a new number designed to make it easier for patients to get in touch.
Deer Park Medical Centre is to change its number to 0844 477 3441 from Friday this week.
Heather Maynard, practice manager, said: "We are a busy surgery, and many patients phone us early in the morning to make appointments or to deal with an emergency.
"With about 4,500 patients on our register, the lines can become very busy at these times. We appreciate how frustrating it is to repeatedly encounter the engaged tone, and we are confident that our new surgery line phone system will have appreciable benefits for both patients and staff.
"Surgery line has been developed especially for doctors surgeries. It enables more calls to be handled by introducing elements of call automation, as well as additional phone lines. The system comprises a modern switchboard with headsets, call recording facilities, and additional safety equipment. Patients will be routed directly to the department that they need to speak to, speeding up the whole call handling process.
"The new number is charged at local rates, and so shouldn't cost patients any more to call, particularly if we are able to handle calls more efficiently."
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