Five GP practices in the district are still operating with 0844 telephone numbers - which can cost patients up to 40p a minute.

The Department of Health has repeatedly advised primary care trusts that the use of such phone numbers is unacceptable and ministers have called on surgeries to switch back to normal-rate numbers.

Professor of patient and public involvement at Warwick University Jonathan Tritter said: “The Department of Health guidance is quite clear and it is not appropriate to make patients pay an unreasonable amount to make contact with their GP.

“It’s up to the government, primary care trusts and strategic health authorities to make sure the appropriate changes are made to put a stop to the matter.”

The charge for dialling an 0844 number can be 5p a minute from a landline - compared to just over 3p a minute to call a normal-rate number - rising up to 40p per minute from a mobile phone.

Part of the premium charge invariably paid by the caller to these numbers is passed on the renter of the line. GP surgeries have been accused of using the extra money gained to fund their telephone system.

Communications watchdog Ofcom’s guidelines state that public bodies should not use numbers beginning with 08 unless they also offer conventional numbers.

The surgeries in Warwick district currently operating with 0844 numbers are Dr Clarkson and partners at The Old Dispensary in Castle Street, Warwick, Dr Clowes and partners in Cubbington Road, Leamington, Dr Davies and partners at Abbey Medical Centre in Station Road, Kenilworth, Dr Letocq and partners at Brese Avenue, Warwick and the Priory Medical Centre in Cape Road (pictured), Warwick. Southam Surgery in Stowe Drive, Southam, is also still using the 0844 number.

A spokesperson for Dr Clowes and Partners surgery in Cubbington Road, said: “We have informed our patients via a patient leaflet how much it costs them to call the surgery.

“We deny that it is costing them more than a normal-rate phone call.”

In December 2006 Ofcom introduced a new countywide number range beginning with 03, aiming to put a stop to the use of 0844 numbers in all GP surgeries.

The then Health Minister Lord Warner asked primary care trusts to ensure that patients phoning practices do not pay more than a local geographical phone number.

A spokesperson for Warwickshire Primary Care Trust said: “As individual businesses surgeries can make their own arrangements for booking appointments. We would encourage any surgery to inform their patients of any call charges.”

The Department of Health has been gathering evidence and views on the subject in order to consider whether further action is necessary. A decision was expected to be reached by the end of this month.