Hospital Television

['The Gaffer']

My poor old mum has been in hospial since September. Theres not really much to do there especially when you are in an isolation room expect watch TV .

Get this... It costs about £1 an hour for a patient to watch TV unless you are long stay, then its £9.50 for 3 days.
I could have bought a 50" plasma by now with the money we've spent!!! - Daylight robbery!!!

Well today the tele broke down, the TV card top up machine broke down, and the only info I could get was someone 'should' be in soon to fix it.

With the amount of money they are raking in from the sick vulnerable and elderly I would have expected a repair within the hour. Its the only entertainment they have, and then only if they can afford it.

Robbing Ba*tards

[Bulldog Bri]

how long per day does she watch the TV, could you bring in a portable DVD player and a pile of films?

Every other day take home and charge it then back the next could half the TV costs 

But do agree about the robbing Ba*tards along with  the parking charges

[Dixie]

My poor old mum has been in hospial since September. Theres not really much to do there especially when you are in an isolation room expect watch TV .

Get this... It costs about £1 an hour for a patient to watch TV unless you are long stay, then its £9.50 for 3 days.
I could have bought a 50" plasma by now with the money we've spent!!! - Daylight robbery!!!

Well today the tele broke down, the TV card top up machine broke down, and the only info I could get was someone 'should' be in soon to fix it.

With the amount of money they are raking in from the sick vulnerable and elderly I would have expected a repair within the hour. Its the only entertainment they have, and then only if they can afford it.

Robbing Ba*tards

When I was in the BRI, I hired the TV for 3 days.  My one had internet access and a telephone.  What I didn't realise was that when some one calls you, it cost them £0.50p per minute.  For a 3 day visit, it cost me £9.99 for TV and £24 when I got home for my daughter to ring me up and talk to her dad.      As if I dont already pay enough into the system.  Plus the BRI was disgusting like you wouldn't believe.  Mark

[Bulldog Bri]

When I was in the BRI, I hired the TV for 3 days.  My one had internet access and a telephone.  What I didn't realise was that when some one calls you, it cost them £0.50p per minute.  For a 3 day visit, it cost me £9.99 for TV and £24 when I got home for my daughter to ring me up and talk to her dad.      As if I dont already pay enough into the system.  Plus the BRI was disgusting like you wouldn't believe.  Mark

I guess thats what small print was invented for  who's really gonna read all of it 

['The Gaffer']

She likes to watch whenever she wants and is very set in her ways as to what to watch.

I did try taking a portable tele in but couldent get a signal good enough. The staff have mixed views about portables anyway, some turn a blind eye, and others ask for it to be removed.

And yes, forgot to mention telephone calls on the same system. Youve got enough to think about when your in hospital without worrying about the cost of phone calls - in and outbound.

Gordon Brown should hang his head in shame in allowing this practice to continue

[Furore Phil]

My son Jack has had a few long visits to the childrens hospital next to the BRI, he didn't even have the option of renting a telly. The group rooms (4 to a room) shared one telly / dvd player, if you were lucky  and got a room to yourself you would have a telly to yourself - but they are all a bit old & tatty.

None of the nurses complained when we bought him a portable DVD player, a few of them wanted to watch it with him ! Unless you have a window with a view of the skyline I doubt you'd get a signal.

Didn't have any problems with phone calls either, they allow mobiles in most wards. Ok they have signs up to say you can't use them, but if you ask and are sensible you can. Stay more than 5 feet away from the monitors and you won't have any problems. Of course they are banned in intensive care. I think it's more to do with privacy and talking loudly that they are frowned apon.

For frequant visitors you can get a parking voucher, pay for one hour and you get a ticket valid for two weeks ! Not that there is anywhere to park around there ! (free after 6pm)

What about a box set of films ? I also recorded stuff off the telly and brought it in, made a nice change.

['The Gaffer']

Didn't have any problems with phone calls either, they allow mobiles in most wards.

Not that there is anywhere to park around there ! (free after 6pm)

What about a box set of films ? I also recorded stuff off the telly and brought it in, made a nice change.

Good ideas Phil, but somehow I think the Childrens Hospital is a different entity wherein nothing is too much trouble. In my experience of the rest of the BRI, not withstanding a few first class nursing staff, everything is TOO much trouble to do for patients.

The televisions on most adult wards are fixed to the wall on telescopic stands over each bed with viewing cards that you have to top up from a machine. The same screen system allows you to make extortionate priced calls and receive extortionate priced calls too. You can even watch extortionate priced movies and surf the extortionate priced web.

Sadly when you are a frail 87 year old technophobe like my mum in an isolation room its all irrelevent. She wouldent even know what a DVD was let alone know how to use one. It took me a week to teach her how to use a very simple cordless phone so a mobile is out of the question. She still cant get her head round the TV systems touchscreen.

Couldent agree with you more on parking, its a joke at the BRI (Or anywhere round it come to that)

Its about time the BRI was knocked down and a new multi purpose place was built on the outskirts of town.

Sorry, rant over.

[Bulldog Bri]

Its about time the BRI was knocked down and a new multi purpose place was built on the outskirts of town.

Have you not seen what they are planning to do to the Southmead Hospital

http://www.superhospitalforbristol.nhs.uk/

['The Gaffer']

Have you not seen what they are planning to do to the Southmead Hospital

Wow that looks pretty impressive, I knew they were planning somthing but havent kept my eye on it.

As for its location, the jury's still out on that one.

Lets hope they provide free TV