HIGH-rate telephone numbers at GP surgeries have been branded "a rip-off" but doctors face massive fines if they wriggle out of their contracts.

Health Minister Ivan Lewis said GP surgeries such as St John's House Surgery in Worcester and Ombersley Medical Centre could not be forced by the Government to ditch their 0844 numbers.

Your Worcester News has previously highlighted the use of the numbers by both surgeries.

The Ombersley Medical Centre is still reviewing its telephone contract following a survey of patient views in November.

Mr Lewis, who addressed the House of Commons on Monday, confessed he was worried about patients on low incomes, isolated older people and those with chronic conditions being "ripped off or exploited" by having to call 0844 and 0845 numbers to book appointments. He gave a "cast-iron guarantee" that NHS Direct will not have a higher rate telephone number when the new contract is signed.

But he said a promise to get rid of the controversial 0844 numbers at GP surgeries would be "hollow" if they were locked into long-term contracts.

Dr Simon Parkinson, medical secretary for the Worc-estershire Local Medical Committee, represents the interests of the county's 450 GPs.

He said: "The problem for many GPs is that we have entered into long-term contracts in good faith. The contract at my surgery still has five years to go.

"We would be fined thousands of pounds because of the penalty clause if we tried to get out of it."

Dr Parkinson has received no complaints from patients about the telephone line and says it was brought in at his Redditch-based surgery with patient backing to improve the call handling service.

Calling an ordinary landline number with BT or Virgin is either free with an inclusive package or 3.25p a minute but to call to an 0844 number would cost 5p a minute.

The Department of Health advised primary care trusts in December 2006 to take action to ensure that patients calling GP practices do not pay more than they would if they called a local number.

The department suggested GPs did not break existing contracts.

They have recommended that GPs switch to 03 numbers - which cost the same as a local call - when they expire.