Phoning Patients In Hospital

barjam_2 · 3 July 2005 at 9:43AM

i am registered with 1899 thru bt but it wont let me use it so i tried what a previous money saver suggested and use the ntl no.s 0808 etc... and yes.... it was 15p per minute :j so much better than the 39p and 49p charges

MrSmartprice · 4 July 2005 at 2:06AM

This Patientline is a complete scam and it is perpetuated with a tissue of lies to ensure maximum use. My local hospital has this system, while at the same time telling patients and visitors not to use mobile phones as they "may affect delicate equipment."

There is no evidence whatsoever that mobile phones can do any harm to the equipment, although the harm they do to users may have put them in hospital in the first place. I queried this policy at the Trust's AGM, since medical staff use mobiles and pagers throughout the building. They simply could not answer! To add insult to injury the hospital has two mobile masts on the roof, each capable of handling 250 calls simultaneously. This generates a five-figure annual sum to the Trust too. Consequently, I have no problem using my free minutes while on their premises.

The whole system is an appalling scam, perpetrated on people at their most vulnerable. The NHS and Patientline should hang their heads in shame at allowing this extortion to happen. Rip-Off Britain at its worst.

Steven1153 · 15 January 2007 at 7:37PM

pricefighter wrote:

Does anyone know if the Hospitals get a share of the revenue from the calls to patient line numbers.(49p a min peak,39p offpeak.) Because i thought revenue sharing on personal numbers had been banned by Ofcom.

Could you write to an NHS Trust under the FOI act and ask them what revenue if any,or benefits in kind they are getting by having Patientline in there Hospital.

The hospital's do not gain anything from having Patientline installed - i have been an operator in their call centre and they install the systems on a no-fee basis i.e. neither side really benefits off the other, not as far as the hospital is concerned anyway.

Steven1153 · 15 January 2007 at 7:43PM

Phonix wrote:

This is totally sick.

Say your relative is about to die and you are forced to pay extortionate charges to ring them.

Currently I'm faced with this situation. Yes I will try to use 1899 to pay 15p/min but why should I even have to pay 15p/min if it costs 2p/call to ring the hospital.

Someone must be profiting heavily from this. A very sick way to make a profit.

Please contact your local MP, as will I.

[edit] Ok I've read the thing about installation costs but who's stupid idea was that anyway?!!

Surely one of the most important things in hospital is to be able to speak to your relatives because (oh SURPRISE) you might be on the brink of death, not to be able to watch TV convieniently.

Most buildings have phone systems in place, why is a hospital much different? Yes there are lots of people but it's just an investment the NHS should have beared in the first place, not got it for 'free' in exchange for huge phone charges for the 15 years following.

wouldn't you be rather more inclined to actually VISIT the patient at their bedside should they be so unlucky as to be "on the brink of death" as you so sensitively put it??? i'd much rather spend the money of an "extortionate" phone call on getting to the hospital to be there as the patient (oh SURPRISE) passes away. What kind thoughts you have....

catz747 · 15 January 2007 at 7:46PM

There's a blog discussion about the charges here as well:

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=254685

Steven1153 · 15 January 2007 at 7:47PM

Woby_Tide wrote:

But their £3.50 a day TV charges and their cunning way to make cards from different hospitals unable to work in the next nearest one if you have to transfer so you pay twice helps them recoup their losses. Poor lambs....not

the reason your cards didn't work is because the bedside units in some hospitals are entirely different to the ones in others!! were you not able to see the difference??

Steven1153 · 15 January 2007 at 7:50PM

bunking_off wrote:

Well again, not defending them in the slightest, but given this is a moneysaving website...I would say funding a Patientline account via the prepay cards is a mug's game. They take credit cards...just charge it up with the amount you'll actually need (really winds them up when it's small amounts but who cares?), and doing it this way your account stays live after you leave hospital so if there's any credit left you can draw down on it if you're subsequently admitted again. However, as far as I know they won't let you move any outstanding credit back onto your card, hence charge it up in small amounts....

they tell you anything you don't use can be refunded for you, and so that's why they offer bonus credits with larger amounts (however you only get back the credit that you have actually paid for i.e. pay £10, use £5, get back £5)!!! and the way you do it would mean that, considering you probably wouldn't let them know you're leaving, they cant switch the tv off so you lose your remaining credit to the next patient coming into the bed should they use the phone or tv

bunking_off · 15 January 2007 at 9:19PM

Steven1153 wrote:

they tell you anything you don't use can be refunded for you, and so that's why they offer bonus credits with larger amounts (however you only get back the credit that you have actually paid for i.e. pay £10, use £5, get back £5)!!! and the way you do it would mean that, considering you probably wouldn't let them know you're leaving, they cant switch the tv off so you lose your remaining credit to the next patient coming into the bed should they use the phone or tv

Steven...struggling to parse your post above (ie not sure what you're trying to say). However, would say that the few times my wife's been unfortunate enough to be in hospital, last thing we did before we left was to ring Patientline to get the account disabled....it's a 2 minute job to do while bored waiting for the docs to do the paperwork. I would, however, agree that in the unfortunate situation of a relative dying, it'd hardly be high on one's list of things to do...

moonrakerz · 15 January 2007 at 10:16PM

Patientline = Complete rip-off

Ofcom = Chocolate teapot

:mad:

molerat · 15 January 2007 at 10:26PM

My FIL was in hospital over New year. He used his MOBILE !! but he could have a normal payphone brought to him if he wanted. A hospital that has obviously crept into the 21st century. But then patients brought in their own lcd tv's etc. When my mother was in hospital I was shocked by the costs of the tv / phone setup.