Casper Economic and Political blog

Calling UK Swine flu help line from abroad or from mobiles

In respond to Swine flu, UK government setup the following websites and helplines:

Website: NHS Pandemic Flu Website

and Helplines:0800 1 513 513 (information),08001513100 (assessment/Tamiflu voucher) 0800 0514142 (for nothern ireland).

The problem was that 0800 numbers are not normally free from mobiles as seen HERE .  The mobile operators normally charge for 0800 numbers at a rate of 20 - 40p and they had to rig the billing system to allow for these special 0800 numbers to be exempted. (Call to the 0800s is now 100% free from the main Vodafone, T mobile, H3G, O2 and Virgin Mobile)

While the England 0800 1 513 513 / 0800 1 513 100 are now callable free of charge from mobiles, the Norther Ireland version is still charagble.  Further, fro Brits abroad, there may be problem calling the 0800 numbers as 0800 numbers are not always callable from abroad.

I have been informed of a work around and the following number translation has been setup. When you dial the 01635 number, some telephone system just onward connects the call to the 0800 numbers (totally transparent to you).

The 01635 not sanctioned by the government of course, but a workaround to the problems some may face dialling the 0800 number.  And of course, this blog provides no medical advice - talk to your doctors.

First post since moving to this platform.

Some argue that this shows the private sector can also be as incompetent as the public sector. Of course, as both of them are run by human.  The worse of private sector is probably worse than the worse of the public sector in the UK…

BUT

If I lost money due to HSBC losing my data, I can claim damages against HSBC as it has a duty of care to me (quite easily via the financial ombusman) but HMRC cannot be sued, nor does it has any duty of care to my data.

That is the difference.