Phoning people in Hospital

student100

As Robert Shilling pointed out, the NHS provides hospitals to care for people who are ill. They're not providing hotel service.

It's only in recent years that people feel the need to have access to a telephone 24/7 and the ability to watch TV whenever you want. In years gone by people managed to recover perfectly well in hospital without access to these luxuries. How about reading a book and writing a letter? Or, if you can't live without access to the latest TV and a telephone, then use the services provided and pay for it. You should think yourself lucky that you don't have to pay for the healthcare. Compared with what being in hospital costs, a phone call at 40p a minute seems an absolute bargain.

If you were in a private hospital the phone calls might be cheaper and the TV free, but you'd probably have to pay a heck of a lot for treatment (or health insurance).

Fran

You should think yourself lucky that you don't have to pay for the healthcare. Compared with what being in hospital costs, a phone call at 40p a minute seems an absolute bargain.

I think the cost should be absorbed into the National Health, not come as a sudden surprise when you go into hospital. A lot of people in hospital will have low incomes and really can't afford it. They shouldn't have to think about how to get phone cards & stuff like that at such a stressful time.

student100

My point was that phone calls in hospital are a privilege, not a right. If you can't afford it you can probably manage without.

I don't think taxpayers should fund the private phonecalls of hospital patients.

robnye

My point was that phone calls in hospital are a privilege, not a right. If you can't afford it you can probably manage without.

I don't think taxpayers should fund the private phonecalls of hospital patients.

hear hear

i was in hospital last week, i paid for a phone/tv card, as i needed to contact my wife re collecting me and also to phone my daughter on her birthday.

I dont expect phone calls to be free, if anyony wants to phone from outside, you will find most ward desks will allow a few calls

Fran

I dont expect phone calls to be free, if anyony wants to phone from outside, you will find most ward desks will allow a few calls

Who's talking about free phonecalls? I would just like it to be easy to phone out for the patient at no extra cost. Also for concerned relatives and friends who phone in no profit making-money-grabbing while someone needs to be in hospital. There's enough of it outside hospital. >:(


Edit. Come to think of it, why not free for the patient? (With a time limit of course.). Why can't this cost be absorbed? Would you begrudge someone with a cancer operation a free phone call? >:(

student100

The NHS already has it's budget stretched to provide good healthcare services. Providing and maintaining the infrastructure to allow patients to make and receive private phone calls is not a cost that the NHS should cover.

So the NHS agrees to allow private companies to install and operate telephone systems to benefit it's patients, and in return these private companies get to charge a slightly higher rate than normal for incoming and outgoing phone calls in order to cover the costs of fitting and maintaining the equipment as well as providing the service.

All seems perfectly fair.

I honestly don't think that any patient is going to suffer great hardship because they are unable to make or receive phone calls from their bedside without paying for it.

jellyhead

i haven't been in hospital since these things were introduced but used to spend a lot of time in there as a kid/teenager. there were a few payphones per ward, they took 10p same as any other pay phone. there wasn't a point next to each bed though so some patients couldn't get to the phone if they couldn't walk there. phones had to be wheeled from point to point when people asked for them, nurses time could have been better spent doing other things. nobody ever had enough 10p's for the phone either although the choccy trolley used to carry loads and give people change.

i do think these new bedphones are a good idea, i just think they're too expensive.

smartcat04

I'm a nurse who works in a hospital who have patientline installed. Up until 2 months ago we also had payphones on the ward where people could phone home for 20p. These of course were removed and the hard sell for the tv and phone cards started. The system also causes more work for us as people phone the main ward number asking for patients bedside phone numbers meaning our lines are blocked. It's just another case of the NHS seeing a way to make money but not one I agree with. In another quirke of Nhs money making we have a Burger King in our main entrance. Excellent health promotion

MarkyMarkD

When I was in hospital, the patientline phones charge exactly the same as a BT payphone for outgoing calls.

It's only incoming calls which are expensive.

I don't think it's fair to get rid of payphones which accept incoming calls - if they used to exist - but if you have very few payphones it is very hard for patients' friends/relatives to get through hence the convenience of patientline providing a line per bed.

If the payphones only allowed outgoing calls anyway, the patients are not any worse off that before: they've gained in convenience.

AuntyJean

My Aunt was 90 last Wednesday (22nd March) but unfortunately due to ill health was hospitalised. I tried to ring her but was informed that she would have to be subscribed to Patientline!

I then rang my cousin who informed me that she had arranged this subscription but my Aunt does not understand how it works.

I rang the hospital again and confirmed my Aunt WAS subscribed. They then gave me her telephone number. I managed to ring and speak to her but was aghast that I had to pay 49p per minute for the privilage!

I would like to point out that I live in Bristol and my Aunt is in hospital in Barnstaple. This may be the last time I have contact with her as she is unlikely to live much longer. She is very lonely and did not understand why she is not receiving many calls.

I think this Patientline is an absolute scam. Surely one of the big mobile phone companies could arrange for phone hire much cheaper than this?