Patients get cheap calls
Hospital telephone provider Patientline is to slash its "extortionate" call prices – just four months after increasing rates by an incredible 160 per cent. Hospital telephone provider Patientline is to slash its "extortionate" call prices – just four months after increasing rates by an incredible 160 per cent. It is an embarrassing U-turn for the company, which was widely condemned by patients and hospital bosses after it hiked its prices in April to try to claw back losses of £25 million. The £2.90-a-day entertainment service links hospital beds to a phone line, internet and radio and operates at Wolverhampton New Cross Hospital, Mid Staffordshire General Hospitals NHS Trust and Sandwell and City Hospitals. But from tomorrow, phonecalls will return back to 10p a minute from 26p. Today hospitals and patient groups in the Midlands welcomed the move. John Mellor, a member of the board of Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust, said: "I am delighted that charges for the use of the telephone in the wards and public places is being reduced. "This is clearly in response to pressure from patients and their relatives and we can only hope that the downward spiral will continue in due course."
It is an embarrassing U-turn for the company, which was widely condemned by patients and hospital bosses after it hiked its prices in April to try to claw back losses of £25 million.
The £2.90-a-day entertainment service links hospital beds to a phone line, internet and radio and operates at Wolverhampton New Cross Hospital, Mid Staffordshire General Hospitals NHS Trust and Sandwell and City Hospitals.
But from tomorrow, phonecalls will return back to 10p a minute from 26p.
Today hospitals and patient groups in the Midlands welcomed the move.
John Mellor, a member of the board of Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust, said: "I am delighted that charges for the use of the telephone in the wards and public places is being reduced.
"This is clearly in response to pressure from patients and their relatives and we can only hope that the downward spiral will continue in due course."
Sandwell and West Birmingham Hospitals NHS Trust spokeswoman Claire Waller said: "The price is going down in line with the national plans," she said.
Following Patientline's collosal price hike hospitals, including New Cross, allowed the use of mobile phones on wards to avoid patients paying overinflated prices.
But today Charlotte Brown, commercial director of Patientline, insisted it was committed to helping patients.
She said: "This is the second price reduction we have made this year, having reduced the cost of watching television from a hospital bed in April.
"The price cut is testament to our dedication to making people's stay in hospital easier."
By Becky Sharpe
