BAFFLED patients have prompted local health bosses to clear up confusion over a new state-of-the-art telephone system.

The new phone lines are designed to allow GPs at Collinson Avenue Health Centre to communicate with other local NHS services, providing better support for patients and practices and improving value for money.

As of tomorrow (May1), patients will have to call numbers with the prefix 01772 to get through to the Collinson Avenue surgery.

Registered patients were sent letters notifying them of the change which caused some to believe they would be ringing an automated switchboard or speaking to operators, therefore hiking up the cost of the call.

But the numbers start with 01772 because they are routed through the Primary Care Trust's headquarters at Jubilee House, Leyland, and callers will be put straight through to the surgery.

David Prince, aged 92, of Devonport Way, Chorley, rang the Citizen when he received his NHS letter.

He said: "It is absolutely ridiculous. I received a letter through my door to say I now have to phone a Preston code just to get through to my surgery.

"Surely this will cost more because I'll have to be put on hold or transferred through to the surgery."

But bosses at the Primary Care Trust were happy to clear up the confusion.

A spokesman said: "It's just a case of a microchip based at Jubilee House being used to transfer calls.

"The calls won't take any longer and patients will still be put straight through to the surgery.

"Because there will be a lot more lines available it means that patients won't get the engaged tone and will be able to get through a lot easier.

"The 01772 code doesn't cost any more because it's still classed as a local prefix."

The trust is trialing the new technology as part of an NHS scheme to link all its services.

The new numbers are as follows: Drs Hartley, Lyons, Raffi, Bamford 01772 644184, Drs Gale and Carlos 01772 644194, Dr Jones 01772 644180.