In Parliament

Question to the Minister of Health 23 April 2007

24th April 2007

Jessica Morden (PPS (Rt Hon Peter Hain, Secretary of State), Wales Office, Newport East, Labour) | Hansard source

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will make a statement on the progress of work with suppliers to consider further ways of reducing incoming call charges for hospital patients.

Andy Burnham (Minister of State (Delivery and Quality), Department of Health) | Hansard source

Discussions have taken place with the two service providers, originally investigated by the Office of Communications, to identify possible ways of reducing their incoming call charge.

As reported by the Patient Power Review Group, in February, there is no easy, quick fix solution to this problem but the Department is working hard to resolve this issue.

23rd February 2007

Report of the review group in response to the Ofcom report into the cost of incoming calls made to patients in hospitals using bedside entertainment systems (Patient Power programme). Read the Patient Power Review.

Department of Health issues respons to the bedside televisions and telephones Patient Power Review Group Report DoH Response

24th August 2006

Patient Power Review Group issues review of use of mobile phones in hospitals - read more Patient Power Review on Mobile Phones

18th January 2006

Jessica Morden Tables EDM

This House notes the exorbitant cost of incoming calls to patients in hospitals which exploit family and friends keeping in touch with loved ones; supports the concerns of consumers about the prices charged by service providers Patientline and Premier who charge up to 49p per minute peak and 39p per minute off peak; welcomes the investigation by Ofcom; and supports their recommendation that the Department of Health urgently review all aspects of the installation and operation of beside telephone entertainment systems in hospitals.

Read Ofcom Report