Plans to charge phone calls to a surgery in Winchester at a national rate have been scrapped.

NHS chiefs still intend to change the number for the Friarsgate Practice - but not to the 0870 one originally intended.

Instead, it will continue to be one charged at a local rate.

Mid Hampshire Primary Care Trust originally planned to change to a number with an 0870-prefix.

The trust insisted that shorter call times through better efficiency would ensure that phone bills would not rise.

The argument failed to convince some patients at the surgery in central Winchester.

Further controversy was heaped on by the Government when it announced an investigation into the use of 0870-prefixes by surgeries.

Around 200 health centres across Britain have already adopted them, and Westminster is worried that patients are being left out of pocket.

Mid Hampshire PCT has now contacted Network Europe Group, its phone provider at Friarsgate, to revise their deal. The firm has offered an 0844-code instead, which is cheaper than the 0870-prefix.

Surgery manager, Linda Cooper, said: "We are very pleased that NEG, the telephone company, has listened to everyone's concerns about the 0870 code."

The number at the Friarsgate Practice will change next Thursday from 01962-854091 to 0844-4770947.