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Hospital TV
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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.
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�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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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?
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?
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.
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!....
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
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
