Originally published in the North Norfolk News, June 2007. Lightly proofread from the surviving column copy, with routine sign-offs or unrelated asides trimmed. The views, figures and circumstances are those of the period.
It’s about time someone did something about the awful service hospitals provide when you want to make a phone call! It’s dull enough being stuck inside a hospital, with the only privilege being the communication to your loved ones. And even that comes at a price. A hefty twenty-six pence a minute, and almost three pounds to watch television. Who wouldn’t find it scandalous? If I wanted to spend that amount of money in the time span of a minute I would phone up one of those rip-off GMTV phone numbers, and I certainly wouldn’t expect such charges in a hospital! Who says health care is free here? It’s not only that, but the profits aren’t returned to our hospitals. Oh no, they go straight into lining the pockets of the company’s fat cats.
Thankfully the media are on the backs of the company who provides these services, Patientline. Not only do pensioners face the crisis of trying to find a bed in Norfolk, when they get a hospital bed they’re faced with these ridiculous charges that no one should be expected to pay.
The thing is, there is an alternative, you could use your mobile phone. But it seems we’re all banned from using them, on the account of them ‘messing with hospital equipment’. Although it seems one rule for one group of people, and another rule for the rest. The last time I was there many hospital workers had their mobile phones on. Maybe it’s time hospitals focused on searching for new alternative methods of communication for patients. Even a good old fashioned pay phone would work out cheaper…
Apologies to all those that were expecting to see Hannah’s column last week, and saw my ugly face instead. It was in fact Hannah’s column, but because of a few technical glitches you saw my face instead of hers. The people involved in printing this column have now been asked to clear their desk, so you won’t see it happen again…
Next Wednesday I’m off back to BBC Radio Norfolk, and will be appearing on Stephen Bumfrey’s breakfast show analysing the newspapers. Tune in from 7.00am to see what I have to moan about that morning, and to see if I have anything complimentary to say.