Hospital TV

[dot.hawkes]

i have had to be in hospital with my daughter for several hours today, there were very many elderly people on the ward she was on. They were sitting or lying on their beds looking as miserable as anything, not just because they were unwell, but because they could not watch TV., as the hospital has these new personal TV screens attached to each bed that have to be pre-paid using a card dispensed from a machine on the ward. there is also a phone on the console and that is a pay phone attached to the smart card. I got my daughter a �5 card which would apparently last 6 hours (maybe). How are pensioners on a fixed income meant to afford that? I was appalled by the greed and also, nowhere did it say that there is a scheme for low paid to reclaim the money. It is bad enough being unwell and stuck in hospital but to be restricted in watching tele is bad. have you any brilliant reason why this is a good scheme? My daughter was worried she would miss Lost tonight! It quite made her feel worse.

[redcrx]

�5 for 6 hours? Was it the ritz hospital or something.

I cant recall exactly but when i was in for 3 days i didnt use up my �10 card and also i managed to phone friends and family to announce the birth of my son.

over 60s also get a very heavily discounted rate.

Perhaps they were just interested in watching the TV.

Oh and the radio is free from what i recall and an hour of breakfast TV is too.

[China Doll]

Unfortunately like so many things within the NHS these days this is a private agenda and to do with generating income, some of which will come back to the hospital but not I would guess the majority.

You will find that a lot of staff in hospitals will be completely opposed to this, I myself struggle with the fact that patients in my department have to pay for the priviledge of parking their car let alone anything to do with cars and phones.

If you feel that strongly about it, I would suggest that you start a mini campaigne in your area. But be prepared for the argument that we recieve which is that the NHS has limited resources and is deeply in debt and yadda yadda... I still think that getting rid of some senior managers would free up some funding for entertaining patients and there is a direct corolation between people getting better more quickly if they're not feeling miserable or bored. But that's just my opinion, good point Dot.

[PinkFizz]

Iknow Dot - its discraceful.My friend was admitted as an emergency,and when I visited her I asked why she wasnt watchinc the tv and she had to admit that she couldnt afford it.I felt so awful for her that I went and bought her a �5 card but I still saw so many other patients with no visitors etc,with a tv hanging over their bed that they couldnt watch - its just plain mean.

[Octavius]

I thought that there was still a system of a communal TV in a day room f.o.c, for breakfast TV?

Charges to watch the five inch screen at each bed will vary from an hourly rate or a flat weekly rate. Patients staying overnight will be charged at a lesser rate but (apparently) hospital authorities are also putting a system in place to facilitate those who cannot afford to pay to view. Unused credit will be rebanked in a central pool which will then be redistributed among needy patients.

Some people would agree with this in that it would cut down on the noise factor at night, and that with a personal TV you can choose what you watch and when you watch it, also you don't need to leave your bed to watch it.

I completely disagree with it in principle (the paying part), but with this system your daughter would be able to watch Lost without interference from someone else on the ward or in the day room. After all TV is a privelege not a right isn't it?

[dot.hawkes]

Not only that PF, but how many elderely people do you know (apart from me) that can use that tyope of fancy remote control for a start, they would spend half their credit finding a channel

[dot.hawkes]

Yes Octavious but what about all those many TVs that the various charities and patients have donated over the years specifacally for wards and communal rooms? There are no commnal rooms now, and the old TVs have gone. that is an insult to the patients who made bequests and donations.

[PinkFizz]

exactly Dot - poor things.

[Octavius]

I'm not disagreeing with you dot, I think that although these modern technologies (tele-call) provide the convenience of bedside entertainment (nurse call, tv, telephone, internetetc) similar to those we enjoy on an aeroplane in the back of the seat in front, I am with you, I still believe that a TV/dayroom should be there free of charge for generic viewing by all patients.

[lindapinda]

Hi Dot! I'm stunned to hear that this is what's happening! I agree with what China Doll says,and as you point out also,a lot of elderly and old people are completely put off by that type of technology anyway.Quite honestly,if this is how they are trying to fund themselves,they have really reached the bottom of the barrell!....

[crete]

would i be right in thinking your daughter was in a P F I hospital?

[kate1976]

My grandad has been in hospital for the past 6 weeks with one of these TVs attached to his bed, he hasn't watched any of it though as it's just unaffordable so he and a lot of others are just lying around with nothing to do!

It's a shame the NHS has come to this!

[beejaybee]

I spent 11 days in hospital & did not even want to watch tv. It was great to catch up on some reading. I agree that it is not fair to expect patients to pay to watch the individual tvs. On the other hand there`s nothing more annoying than a tele blasting away in the corner & no one watching it.

[joby1]

They have these in arrowe park hospital, whatever you do, don't phone your friends or relatives on their (private) number,, the companies involved charge you about a 80p a minute. Daylight bloody robbery if you ask me!!

[dot.hawkes]

well my daughter used the console this morning at 7.30 to send me a voice text and it said if I ran gher back it qwas 29p per minute, so I rang the ward and spoke to her on the ward phone, I know it takes up the staff's time though.

[metagirl]

How sad! The idea of an old person staring at a blank tv is really depressing. I agree with the comment that most older people would find the pay-to-watch technology confusing and too costly. if the tvs are donated surely they should be free?

[dot.hawkes]

crete if that means an indelpendant hosp no i dont think so it is an NHS trust one,

[DrChandra]

Pensioners are on average richer then ANY other age group.I am a pensioner and am very comfortable.Most pemsioners are very comfortable.I agree however that it is very greedy.

[dot.hawkes]

maybe pensioners who are in a married retirement with a lifetime of savings behind them, there are widows out there who survive on basic pension

[Big Al1st]

Hi Dot, I was in hospital and the TV was �3.75 for 24 hours. Not viewing 24 hours but actual 24 hours. As a pensioner I got the TV at half price. However children under 14 got free TV. But if youy are in for anylength of time it is alot for one weeks viewing, especially if, because of treatment, you cannot watch the set, because as soon as 24 hour is up thats the end until you feed it more money.
The biggest con was that it cost my wife 39p per minute to ring through whereas it cost my son in Australia 20p.
I did read somewhere that the use of mobile phones is forbidden, not because they will interefer with equipment, but to force patients to use the inhouse phones.

Drchandra I am presuming you are pulling the middle one with what you are saying, or you were an overpaid real life doctor

Rgds Al

[moodyrussian]

I think he is a real life Doctor. My Dad is a medical specialist and he has to work very hard for his money.