Early connection for new phone system in hospitals

A new and improved phone system for Argyll and Bute’s hospitals will be connected seven months earlier than planned.

Argyll and Bute Health and Social Care Partnership (HSCP) says final installations of its Interactive Voice Response (IVR) system will be finished midsummer with final installations at Mull and Iona Community Hospital, Cowal Community Hospital, Mid Argyll Hospital, Lorn & Islands Hospital and Victoria Hospital in Rothesay.

The upgraded telephony service was first launched in Campbeltown Hospital in February 2023 as a way of making the caller experience better and reducing telephone contract service costs.

The IVR system is an automated call management system that allows incoming callers to access services via a touch-tone keypad selection of pre-recorded messages.

The system should “quickly and seamlessly addresses people’s inquiries” and reduce hold times as well as giving staff more time to complete their daily tasks. The HSCP says the system guarantees hospital visitors entering and exiting the hospital will be “managed more effectively.”

Chief officer for Argyll and Bute HSCP Fiona Davies said: “Our priority is to continuously improve our technology and services. I am very happy with the positive feedback the new system has received from both staff and patients.

“I would like to thank all our staff and IT professionals for their outstanding efforts to support the successful rollout of this innovative system.” The telephone numbers for all the hospitals remain the same:

▮ Lorn & Islands Hospital, Oban – 01631 567500

▮ Mid Argyll Hospital – 01546 462000

▮ Cowal Community Hospital – 01369 704341

▮ Victoria Hospital Rothesay – 01700 503938

▮ Mull & Iona Community Hospital – 01680 300392