New extension numbers launched in preparation of hospital migration

Preparations for the migration from St Luke's Hospital to Mater Dei Hospital continued yesterday with the introduction of 150 new extension numbers for the internal phone lines at the existing hospital.

This is the first step in the physical migration of services to the new hospital.

The new four-digit extension numbers, which will operate for a period alongside the existing ones, have been changed to enable staff and the public to get used to the new system before the migration.

Over the next four months, 150 new extension numbers will be introduced every fortnight until all the hospital's 1,200 telephone lines have been covered.

The public lines will be the last to change and as extensive information campaign on the changes is expected to start in the coming weeks.

After the move to Mater Dei, the four-digit prefix, currently 2595, will also change, to 2545.

However, a spokesman for Mater Dei said calls on the old numbers would be transferred to an operator to ensure that no calls were missed. He said the new telephone numbering scheme is expected to be more user-friendly.

The spokesman explained that all of Mater Dei's telephone lines use a direct-dial-in system, which is an eight-digit telephone number that allows callers to reach the person they are calling directly. An operator service will also be available.

The head of engineering operations for St Luke's and Mater Dei, Ray Piscopo, said the changeover operation went according to plan.

He pointed out that tests had already been carried out the day before to ensure that operations ran smoothly. Mr Piscopo said technical support was on standby at St Luke's throughout the operation to address any technical problems.