It has been reported, and confirmed, that some Surgery Line users are extending call durations (by a few seconds) by including a call cost information message on 0844 numbers.
The message (listen below) suggests that the pence per minute rate charged by BT before 4 January 2011 is 'typical' and offers no other specific information.
This seems to do nothing more than confirm Daisy's view that 0844 numbers are unsuitable for use by NHS surgeries. Only those BT landline users who breach the terms of their chosen Call Plan pay for calls to geographic rate numbers, so any call charge and setup fee makes the call more expensive. Whether it is 5p, 0.5p or £5 per minute makes no significant difference.

See below (left) the latest item of coverage by a local BBC TV news programme.

As the presenter of another similar item cast doubt over the claim that this was an “exclusive” story, we thought it might be interesting to put together a playlist of the 13 items that we have been involved with - from September 2007. (See below right). Not all items include familiar faces; contributions by ‘campaigners’ are often made without appearance or named acknowledgement.

Following the BBC Look North (North East and Cumbria) coverage of a GP practice continuing to use a 0844 number, the practice has responded with a statement on its website.
As this includes the invitation, “Please do not hesitate to get in touch with us if you have any questions or concerns” we have responded with an open message (see below).
We hope that media interest will stimulate similar debate with every other similar, committed and concerned, practice in the same position - our arguments will remain essentially unchanged.