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.

[Hellion]

Hi Dot they have this system at our hospital and even more shocking is the money raised DOES NOT GO TO THE HOSPITAL!! It all goes to swell the coffers of the TV company.

[Hellion]

Oh and if you call a patient on their 'personal' phone it costs 55p a minute!

[petes_dragon]

Hi,

I completely agree, my sister was in for 10 weeks last year with a skin problem so was well enough to get up and walk about etc but it cost her an absolute fortune for the TV, as someone already said after a certain time it goes onto a flat weekly rate rather than daily but it was still really expensive...........and it all goes to the providers of the units rather than to the hospital!!

she never used the phone, as she could go outside to use her mobile to make outgoing calls but my parents did call her on the bedside phone at least once a day and that cost a bomb too!!

A xXx

[lindapinda]

I was stunned when I read all this first of all,but when i see what Hellion has told us,I'm gobsmacked totally! How can this be allowed to happen? Why should these companies be allowed to profit,cos of taking advantage of situations,when people and their families,are at their most vunerable!