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NHS Patientline 49p per minute Ofcom Investigation (Read 543,372 times)
NGMsGhost
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Re: NHS Patientline 49p per minute Ofcom Investiga
Reply #420 - Apr 4th, 2007 at 7:16am
 
This morning's BBC Radio 4 Today program is announcing that Patientline is, with immediate effect, increasing the cost of outgoing phone calls from its bedside equipment from 10p to 26p per minute or from £6 per hour to £15.60 per hour.  But there is to be no corresponding decrease in the cost of incoming calls to the same rate it appears. Shocked

Presumably Patientline is now on the verge of bankruptcy to do something this desperate but whichever cretins at the NHS agreed to a contract that allows Patientline to just massively increase charges in this way, whenever it wants, deserve to be fired from their cushy £100k per annum plus jobs forthwith.

Imagine you are in hospital and going in for an operation tomorrow in which there is a 10 to 15% chance you may not survive.  But you can't have several hour long conversations with your loved ones because it will leave you broke in the event that you survive and make it back home. Shocked Angry Cry Cry Cry
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bill
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Patientline cost reduction
Reply #421 - Apr 4th, 2007 at 9:09am
 
But they're reducing the daily subscription charge from £3.50 to only £2.90

Apparently Patientline is £80 million in debt.
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« Last Edit: Apr 4th, 2007 at 9:13am by bill »  
 
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Re: NHS Patientline 49p per minute Ofcom Investiga
Reply #422 - Apr 4th, 2007 at 12:49pm
 
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/6524545.stm

<<
A firm that provides phone services at thousands of NHS hospital bedsides is to increase the cost of calls by 160%.
Previously, calls made by NHS patients through Patientline phones cost 10p per minute, but that will now rise to 26p.

Patientline, a private company, told the BBC it had invested £160m in the system and needed to recoup its costs and make a profit.

In 2005, the firm was investigated by regulators over its charges, but was cleared of any wrongdoing.

Patientline also provides television screens and radio and internet services at hospital bedsides.

The company's systems are installed at more than 75,000 hospital bedsides.

It says that, while call charges will increase, the cost of the complete bedside "package" will fall from £3.50 a day to £2.90.

Calls to patients from outside the hospital cost 39p per minute off-peak and 49p a minute at peak times.

Commercial director Charlotte Brown told BBC News: "Of the people that are in the hospital beds - patients in hospital who spend money with us - 70% of them actually spend that money on watching television.

"What we've done in our new pricing structure is, we've realigned our prices to bring the price of TV, which the majority of people watch, to a much lower level."

There would now be reductions in the price of packages for people staying for longer than two or three days who would also be able to get free games and internet services, she added.

Patientline has admitted it is £80m in debt and currently only has enough money left to operate for the next 12 months.

"As a private sector company, we've put millions of pounds worth of equipment into these hospitals and that's a massive investment for us," Ms Brown said.

"We are trying to recoup that in a way that still provides value for money for the patient in the bed and we feel that we're doing that."

BBC Breakfast's Graham Satchell said the government had always maintained that these services were a luxury and should not come at a cost to the taxpayer or the NHS.

The Patients Association says patients often have no choice but to use Patientline because many hospitals no longer have public pay phones.

Spokesman Michael Summers said the cost of incoming calls was already high, and the latest increase would lead to more complaints.

"These people are ill, often recovering from operations, and the hike from 10p to 26p to phone out is really too much. People are going to be really upset with this."

Telecoms regulator Ofcom investigated Patientline two years ago after complaints that charges were too high.

In the past, many hospitals have operated bans on or restricted the use mobile phones within their buildings, meaning patients often had to use other phone services.

But last month, Health Minister Andy Burnham said he saw "no reason" why they could not be used within hospitals.

A Department of Health spokesperson said: "Arrangements with providers of bedside entertainment systems are agreed locally, and Patientline should be discussing any proposed pricing restructuring with NHS trusts.

"Except in a few cases, where a party is in default, any changes need to be the result of mutual agreement.

"Initially, obligation to object to a unilateral act by Patientline falls on the affected trust."
>>
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Re: NHS Patientline 49p per minute Ofcom Investiga
Reply #423 - Apr 4th, 2007 at 12:53pm
 
http://www.newswales.co.uk/?section=Community&F=1&id=11013

<<
Torfaen Assembly Member Lynne Neagle, who is campaigning for more mobile phone use in Welsh hospitals, today blasted the announcement from Patientline that they would be increasing call charges by 160%.

Health Committee Member, Ms Neagle, recently had to use the Patientline system herself after an accident led to a stay in the Royal Gwent.

The Labour AM said,

"Whilst I was happy to pay the charges calling out from the Patientline system, I was acutely aware how expensive it was for family and friends calling in. There was a recorded message at the start of every call which must have set people back a pound or so before they even got through."

"I am desperately concerned about how this is going to impact on vulnerable and elderly patients in Welsh hospitals. Increasing prices by 160% is really staggering and none of us would accept that kind of overnight raise in our mobile phone bills or bills for the household phone.

"I maintain my position, backed by the most recent scientific research on the matter, that mobile phones do not impact on the vast majority of machinery in hospitals, and therefore could be used to a much greater extent throughout the wards."
>>
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Re: NHS Patientline 49p per minute Ofcom Investiga
Reply #424 - Apr 6th, 2007 at 2:27pm
 
Our local paper reported the increase and questioned Patientline - they said the new increases were for England & Wales only - not Scotland!!  BUT, then added "For the last 3 weeks we have been trialling the new tariff in ALL Scottish hospitals".  The new cost were "..part of our ongoing committment to improve our services".  Well, that's OK then, makes us suckers in Scotland feel much better - we are the 'testing-ground' again (just like the Poll Tax, and smoking bans).
At least all the adverse publicity might tip Patientline over the edge - please!!
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Re: NHS Patientline 49p per minute Ofcom Investiga
Reply #425 - Apr 7th, 2007 at 12:28am
 
Patientline GREED - a hospital fights back - about time too

http://www.expressandstar.co.uk/2007/04/06/mobiles-bid-to-beat-rises/

<<
Cannock hospital plans to increase the use of mobile phones to save patients from massive bills from telephone company Patientline.

The firm this week announced plans to increase charges to patients making phone calls from their beds from 10p per minute to 26p.

The Patient and Public Involvement (PPI) Forum said the move was “an absolute disgrace” and had talks with hospital bosses.

Rod Hammerton, of the PPI, said: “This is absolutely farcical. It is a rip-off and is targeting people that can’t get up and about, who need the support of friends and family. The way they are running Patientline is disgraceful. [...]

Colin Plant, Mid Staffordshire General Hospitals Trust head of facilities, said Stafford’s hospital will extend the number of areas where mobiles can be used.

[...]
>>

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Re: NHS Patientline 49p per minute Ofcom Investiga
Reply #426 - Apr 7th, 2007 at 12:29am
 
Unions slam phone calls price hike

http://www.theboltonnews.co.uk/display.var.1313830.0.unions_slam_phone_calls_pri...

<<
HOSPITAL unions have reacted angrily to the news that the cost to patients of making telephone calls from their beds is to be increased by 160 per cent.

Patientline, the company that owns the telephone and television services at hospitals across the UK, announced on Wednesday that it was increasing its call charges from 10p a minute to 26p.

Stephanie Thomas, from Unison, said: "To rip off and exploit patients in this way is absolutely diabolical.

advertisement"Being in hospital is often the most distressing and upsetting time in a patient's life.

"Due to money worries about paying for these increasingly extortionate phone bills, many poorer patients will be left even more stranded and out of contact with family and friends.

"We feel Ofcom should urgently investigate this terrible exploitation."
[...]
>>
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Re: NHS Patientline 49p per minute Ofcom Investiga
Reply #427 - Apr 7th, 2007 at 9:26am
 
But on past record, does anyone believe OFCOM will ever do anything??
Too many snouts in the trough.
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Re: NHS Patientline 49p per minute Ofcom Investiga
Reply #428 - Apr 7th, 2007 at 12:11pm
 
Has anyone checked to see if any Ofcom directors are also on the board of Patientline?

For all we hear, it wouldn't be surprising.......  Angry
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Re: NHS Patientline 49p per minute Ofcom Investiga
Reply #429 - Apr 7th, 2007 at 6:20pm
 
OFCOM are far too busy worrying about the silly issue of TV quiz shows where people have a choice whether to call or not to worry about people HAVING to use covert premium rate numbers for essential parts of life!   Wrong priorities or what!!!!!
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Re: NHS Patientline 49p per minute Ofcom Investiga
Reply #430 - Apr 7th, 2007 at 8:08pm
 
Hospital phone firm slammed

http://ichuddersfield.icnetwork.co.uk/0100news/0100localnews/tm_headline=hospita...

<<
A HUDDERSFIELD hospital boss today slammed plans to charge patients 160% more for making bedside phone calls.

Mark Partington, director of operations for Calderdale and Huddersfield NHS Foundation Trust, says Huddersfield Royal Infirmary was not warned of the price rise.

And he promised to contact phone and TV provider Patientline to highlight his concerns.

The move comes after the firm said it was increasing its call charges from 10p a minute to 26p.

There will also be a 40p minimum charge for outgoing calls.
>>

So, as if it wasn't expensive enough, there is also a 40p minimum charge. Wonder if that gets publicised anywhere else, or just another "hidden tax" by money grabbers Patientline?

And the service is pretty good (television-wise anyway) - when it works! When I was in hospital last, the whole system went down for two days - when I went back about a week later, it was still dead. There were a lot of unhappy people I can tell you that.
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« Last Edit: Apr 7th, 2007 at 8:09pm by jgxenite »  

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Re: NHS Patientline 49p per minute Ofcom Investiga
Reply #431 - Apr 7th, 2007 at 8:12pm
 
Quote:
....and he promised to contact phone and TV provider Patientline to highlight his concerns.


If he is so concerned does he allow the use of mobile phones by patients in his hospital?
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Re: NHS Patientline 49p per minute Ofcom Investiga
Reply #432 - Apr 7th, 2007 at 8:17pm
 
I don't know, to be honest. I couldn't find anything on the website that said yes or no on the issue (and considering I haven't been there personally in years, I couldn't say).
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Re: NHS Patientline 49p per minute Ofcom Investiga
Reply #433 - Apr 8th, 2007 at 7:11am
 
Notice how many of our MPs were 'interested' enough to sign the early day motion about Patientline.
http://edmi.parliament.uk/EDMi/EDMDetails.aspx?EDMID=32479&SESSION=885

The EDM was not a contentious one, the way it is worded, but only 83 of our 600+ MPs can be bothered.  I had to contact my own MP twice before he finally signed - should we be suspicious about 'connections'?  There does seem to be a reluctance to take on Patientline!
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Re: NHS Patientline 49p per minute Ofcom Investiga
Reply #434 - Apr 8th, 2007 at 10:23am
 
firestop wrote on Apr 8th, 2007 at 7:11am:
Notice how many of our MPs were 'interested' enough to sign the early day motion about Patientline.
http://edmi.parliament.uk/EDMi/EDMDetails.aspx?EDMID=32479&SESSION=885

The EDM was not a contentious one, the way it is worded, but only 83 of our 600+ MPs can be bothered.  I had to contact my own MP twice before he finally signed - should we be suspicious about 'connections'?  There does seem to be a reluctance to take on Patientline!

I'm pleased to say my MP is one of the 83 - and I only had to e-mail him once!
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« Last Edit: Apr 8th, 2007 at 10:26am by Heinz »  

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