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Dept of Health

Answer

Mr. Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what his Department's policy is on the cost for patients' friends and relatives of calling patients in hospital through premium rate lines operable through bedside telephones; if he will publish guidance given to NHS trusts on this issue; and if he will make a statement. [222181] Mr. Hutton: Patients in national health service hospitals have requested personal use of a telephone to remain in contact with family and friends. This is provided through the patient power system and over 75,000 beds in NHS trusts have this service. There are four companies licensed to provide these services and they are responsible for all aspects of installation, managing and running the service. Contracts are entered into by individual trusts, which will set out in the contract an agreed schedule of charges, including the cost of incoming calls to patients. Three suppliers, covering 69,000 beds, include a message notifying callers at the outset of the call what the cost will be. The fourth, which provides a service to the remaining 6,000 beds, will shortly be including a similar message at all its sites. Bedside televisions and telephones are an additional service to patients. It is still possible for friends and relatives to contact a hospital through its main switchboard and then be transferred to a nurses' station to enquire about their relative's health. NHS Estates commissioned the British Market Research Bureau to carry out a survey to conduct research into patient and staff satisfaction with the bedside communication and entertainment systems. Over 300 patients and nearly 100 staff were interviewed at six NHS hospitals between October and November 2004. 88 per cent. of patients said that they were satisfied with the services. 95 per cent. of patients chose to pay for services offered. Patients said the most important reason for using the system was to make phone calls without having to ask a member of staff for help or go to a public pay phone. The patient bedside entertainment system provides a vital direct link with the outside world for NHS patients. The results of the recent survey confirm that the service is useful in improving the patient's stay in hospital.

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

432 c1455-6W;432 c1451-2W; 222181

Session

2004-05

Subjects

Costs Hospitals Fees and charges Patients Telephones

Contains statistics

Yes

Link

View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk