CONFUSION over the dialling code for Reading's Royal Berkshire Hospital has meant members of the public are inadvertently calling the fire service instead.
The hospital is urging people not to add a ‘9’ after the dialling code ‘0118’ - because it goes through to the Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue Service (RBFRS).
The hospital's lines changed from the prefix 0118 987 to prefix 0118 322 in 2005, but many members of the public are still adding in the nine in the mistaken belief it's part of the dialling code for Reading.
Bob Dell, switchboard manager at the Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust, said: “Our phone numbers have changed in order to increase the number of available telephone extensions at the Trust.
"Some people think the code for Reading has to include a 9 - this is not so. The code for Reading is simply 0118. Forget the 9!
"Dialling the wrong number not only causes disruption to the Fire and Rescue service, but it will take longer for people to get their message through to the hospital.”
Chief fire officer Iain Cox added: “As well as diverting our staff from their important public safety roles, I am concerned that, by calling the wrong numbers, the public may experience a delay in getting through to the right hospital department.
"Please remember to leave out the 9 when calling the hospital to ensure your message gets to the right place and on time."