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Hospital calls go to fire service | Hospital calls go to fire service |
(about 1 hour later) | |
A fire service has been inundated with hundreds of calls from people trying to contact a hospital. | A fire service has been inundated with hundreds of calls from people trying to contact a hospital. |
Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue Service says operational training has been disrupted by callers who actually want the Royal Berkshire Hospital. | Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue Service says operational training has been disrupted by callers who actually want the Royal Berkshire Hospital. |
A spokesman added that callers included people who were bereaved, out-patients trying to obtain crucial test results and man whose wife was in labour. | A spokesman added that callers included people who were bereaved, out-patients trying to obtain crucial test results and man whose wife was in labour. |
The hospital has appealed for people to check their number before dialling. | The hospital has appealed for people to check their number before dialling. |
RBFRS said the problem, which started when the hospital changed its number several years ago, has escalated. | RBFRS said the problem, which started when the hospital changed its number several years ago, has escalated. |
The fire service numbers begins 0118 932 and RBH's number begins 0118 322. | The fire service numbers begins 0118 932 and RBH's number begins 0118 322. |
Lee Arslett, head of telecommunications for RBFRS, said: "All [the hospital's] new numbers start with 0118 but don't have a 9 in them. | Lee Arslett, head of telecommunications for RBFRS, said: "All [the hospital's] new numbers start with 0118 but don't have a 9 in them. |
"The problem we have is the calls default to the nearest similar number and they are all coming through to us because our numbers start with 932." | "The problem we have is the calls default to the nearest similar number and they are all coming through to us because our numbers start with 932." |
The problem affects all the fire service's sites, including stations and headquarters departments. | The problem affects all the fire service's sites, including stations and headquarters departments. |
Mr Arslett said staff spend "a lot of time answering calls from people who have misdialled when trying to reach the hospital". | |
He added: "The other day, firefighters on one station were trying to train and had to stop work throughout the day to answer the phone - nearly every call was for the hospital." | |
An RBH spokesman said: "We have worked extremely hard to ensure that all patients and users of trust services have the correct contact details and we also make these clearly available on our website." | An RBH spokesman said: "We have worked extremely hard to ensure that all patients and users of trust services have the correct contact details and we also make these clearly available on our website." |
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