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NHS Patientline 49p per minute Ofcom Investigation (Read 541,898 times)

janitor

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Re: NHS Patientline 49p per minute Ofcom Investiga
Reply #465 - Jun 28^th, 2007 at 1:38pm

"One important question is whether mobile phones still have to be banned everywhere in hospitals, because of possible interference with medical equipment. I believe there is a re-think going on about this."

I was visiting a sick relative in a heart ward a couple of years ago most of the beds and heart monitors or other essential equipment nearby, sitting on the bed next to the one i was visiting was a surgeon speaking on his mobile and consultants wandered in and out still talking on theirs, one hospital announced a while ack mobiles would be allowed except in intensive care.

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mikeinnc Full Member Offline Ofcom - quis custodiet ipsos custodes? Posts: 225 Perth Western Australia Gender:	Re: NHS Patientline 49p per minute Ofcom Investiga Reply #466 - Jun 28^th, 2007 at 3:14pm I have always found the concept of "banning" cell phones in hospitals as faintly amusing. I mean, what are they going to do - ask you to leave?
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Heinz

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Cellphones in hospitals
Reply #467 - Jun 28^th, 2007 at 3:23pm

Recently, in a corridor of Southend University (it used to be 'General' but appears to have suddenly been educated) Hospital, I noticed a large (and, from the first few words, obviously quite ancient) red sign with white lettering which read words to the effect, "Please switch off radio telephones whilst in the hospital - they will activate the fire alarm system."

Having seen various members of staff talking into cellphone and walkie-talkies, I left my cellphone switched on in my pocket throughout the first 3 hours of my stay and, later, made 5 or 6 calls whilst standing immediately under the sign.

The fire alarm remained silent.

After years of ignoring govt. guidelines & RIPPING OFF Council Tax payers using 0845 numbers, Essex County Council changed to 0345 numbers on 2 November 2015

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NGMsGhost Supreme Member Offline The Forum Ghost of NonGeographicalMan<b r /> Posts: 2,720 Surrey, United Kingdom Gender:	Re: Cellphones in hospitals Reply #468 - Jun 28^th, 2007 at 3:56pm Heinz wrote on Jun 28^th, 2007 at 3:23pm: The fire alarm remained silent. Does this hospital contain a Patientline phone and tv system?
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Heinz

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Re: Cellphones in hospitals
Reply #469 - Jun 28^th, 2007 at 5:49pm

NGMsGhost wrote on Jun 28^th, 2007 at 3:56pm:

Heinz wrote on Jun 28^th, 2007 at 3:23pm:

The fire alarm remained silent.

Does this hospital contain a Patientline phone and tv system? Wink

No, a Premier Bedside system (equipment almost identical to Patientline's but outgoing geographical calls are still 10p/minute).

http://www.southend.nhs.uk/Patients+and+Visitors/Premier+bedside.htm

« Last Edit: Jun 28^th, 2007 at 5:50pm by Heinz »

After years of ignoring govt. guidelines & RIPPING OFF Council Tax payers using 0845 numbers, Essex County Council changed to 0345 numbers on 2 November 2015

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NGMsGhost

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Re: Cellphones in hospitals
Reply #470 - Jun 28^th, 2007 at 6:10pm

Heinz wrote on Jun 28^th, 2007 at 5:49pm:

Premier Bedside[/url] system (equipment almost identical to Patientline's but outgoing geographical calls are still 10p/minute).

http://www.southend.nhs.uk/Patients+and+Visitors/Premier+bedside.htm

What's the betting that the wording for that notice discouraging the use of Radio Telephones was written by a Premiers sales person? Wink

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Heinz Supreme Member Offline Posts: 1,362 Essex	Re: Cellphones in hospitals Reply #471 - Jun 28^th, 2007 at 7:43pm Almost certainly not. The phrase 'radio telephones' and the appearance of the sign were circa 1980 - when analogue cellphones the size of bricks were 'cool'.
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pw4

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Re: Cellphones in hospitals
Reply #472 - Jun 28^th, 2007 at 8:34pm

Heinz wrote on Jun 28^th, 2007 at 3:23pm:

Quote:

Please switch off radio telephones whilst in the hospital - they will activate the fire alarm system.

Strange but true. It was one of several reasons for the introduction of the ban on the use of mobile phones in hospitals, years before Patientline came along. Late eighties I think. Thunderstorms set them off too in those days, but they weren't banned.

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pw4 Full Member Offline Posts: 130	Re: NHS Patientline 49p per minute Ofcom Investiga Reply #473 - Jun 28^th, 2007 at 8:47pm mikeinnc wrote on Jun 28^th, 2007 at 3:14pm: I have always found the concept of "banning" cell phones in hospitals as faintly amusing. I mean, what are they going to do - ask you to leave? Not very likely. But hospitals do have the right to discharge patients.
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idb

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Re: NHS Patientline 49p per minute Ofcom Investiga
Reply #474 - Jun 29^th, 2007 at 12:44am

http://www.newsandstar.co.uk/news/viewarticle.aspx?id=514139

Patientline in pledge over calls

<<
PATIENTS in north and west Cumbria’s hospitals will not be hit by a national hike of bedside phone charges.

Patientline – the private firm which provides bedside services in many NHS hospitals across England – plans to put the cost of outgoing calls up from 10p to 26p.

But following negotiations with bosses, the new charges will not be brought in at either the Cumberland Infirmary in Carlisle or West Cumberland Hospital in Whitehaven.

A spokeswoman yesterday reassured patients in the area that this is still the case.

[...]

Patientline has since blamed the subsequent bad publicity for damaging its prospects and leaving it with £30.2 million losses last year.

It also says it is being threatened by the growing number of hospitals permitting the use of mobile phones on wards.

[...]
>>

« Last Edit: Jun 29^th, 2007 at 12:45am by idb »

As from November 21, 2013, I no longer participate in the forum and am unable to receive private messages.

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pw4

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Re: NHS Patientline 49p per minute Ofcom Investiga
Reply #475 - Jun 29^th, 2007 at 1:30am

nanstallon wrote on Jun 27^th, 2007 at 11:17pm:

I believe there is a re-think going on about this.

It was re-thunk. The latest guidance from the Department of Health (3rd May 2007) recommends that hospitals should not allow mobile phones to be switched on and used in clinical areas including wards, intensive therapy units, operating theatres, maternity wards, special care baby units, or children's wards/areas.

« Last Edit: Jun 29^th, 2007 at 1:47am by pw4 »

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Heinz

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Re: NHS Patientline 49p per minute Ofcom Investiga
Reply #476 - Jun 29^th, 2007 at 8:19am

pw4 wrote on Jun 29^th, 2007 at 1:30am:

The latest guidance from the Department of Health (3rd May 2007) recommends that hospitals should not allow mobile phones to be switched on and used in clinical areas including wards, intensive therapy units, operating theatres, maternity wards, special care baby units, or children's wards/areas.

Thankfully, that (ridiculous) guidance has not reached doctors, consultants, nursing staff, porters etc. - well, not the one's I've seen busily chatting away on their cellphones and walkie talkies.

So their example is the one to follow!

« Last Edit: Jun 29^th, 2007 at 8:20am by Heinz »

After years of ignoring govt. guidelines & RIPPING OFF Council Tax payers using 0845 numbers, Essex County Council changed to 0345 numbers on 2 November 2015

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mikeinnc

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Re: NHS Patientline 49p per minute Ofcom Investiga
Reply #477 - Jun 29^th, 2007 at 3:25pm

Quote:

It also says it is being threatened by the growing number of hospitals permitting the use of mobile phones on wards.

So obviously Patientline are now jumping into bed with the teacher's union, who I understand want cell phones deemed "offensive weapons".

Grin

You know, if this wasn't so totally pathetic, it would be hilarious.....

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nanstallon Newbie Offline Posts: 23 Falmouth Gender:	Re: NHS Patientline 49p per minute Ofcom Investiga Reply #478 - Jun 29^th, 2007 at 6:26pm The guidance to hospitals, that advises banning mobiles virtually everywhere, may have something to do with NHS management being in bed with Patientline. As Mandy Rice-Davies might have said, "mobiles would be dangerous, wouldn't they?" Or am I being cynical?
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NGMsGhost

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Re: NHS Patientline 49p per minute Ofcom Investiga
Reply #479 - Jun 29^th, 2007 at 6:36pm

nanstallon wrote on Jun 29^th, 2007 at 6:26pm:

The guidance to hospitals, that advises banning mobiles virtually everywhere, may have something to do with NHS management being in bed with Patientline. As Mandy Rice-Davies might have said, "mobiles would be dangerous, wouldn't they?"

Or am I being cynical?

You are not being cynical and are almost certainly spot on about a disgusting faceless NHS management team stopping at nothing to shore up its sorry Patientline deal and so force relatives of people having life threatening surgery the next day to only have a 5 minute conversation with them rather than a 60 minute one or otherwise go without essential household food and provisions for the next week in some cases.

What I can't understand is why only careerists and back coverers now seem to make it to the top in large organisations while people of principle and integrity are left out in the cold? Huh

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