Hospedia

[Fromtherough]

For those unaware Hospedia is the system used in the NHS for patients to watch Tv/films whilst in their beds.
Prices include:

(1) £5 for 6 (six) hours of channels 1-5.
(2) £7.50 for 12 hours of very limited freeview plus access of up to 50 selected (2 or 3 year old) movies.
(3) £17.50 for 48 hours of option (2).
And so on and so on up to...
(4) £50 for 14 days of option (2). "Bargain".

To me this is an absolute scandal and smacks of ripping off the sick and vulnerable.

 

[Kellfire]

For those unaware Hospedia is the system used in the NHS for patients to watch Tv/films whilst in their beds.
Prices include:

(1) £5 for 6 (six) hours of channels 1-5.
(2) £7.50 for 12 hours of very limited freeview plus access of up to 50 selected (2 or 3 year old) movies.
(3) £17.50 for 48 hours of option (2).
And so on and so on up to...
(4) £50 for 14 days of option (2). "Bargain".

To me this is an absolute scandal and smacks of ripping off the sick and vulnerable.

Hospitals need to be funded somehow and this is another way to help. We're in an era of decreased real time funding to Trusts and they need to make up whatever they can. The only other option would be to provide nothing to anyone - the money simply isn't there to provide these services for free.

 

[Lord Tyrion]

I'm happy to defend them. Before this company you only had a communal tv in each ward and if you couldn't move then tough. You also had to put up with whatever someone else wanted to watch. This company offer a tv for each bed, you watch what you want. If you don't want to pay then don't. They put money and investment into this which the NHS could not justify, leaving them to put their money into clinical matters.

 

[Deleted Member 1156]

I disagree. I don't have any issue with charging for a service but these prices are nothing short of a rip off.

Reduce the prices and I'm sure there would be a greater take up. Stack 'em high and sell 'em cheap as they say.

 

[User62651]

When in hospital you're still getting paid (if you're employed), you're getting all your meals free, free drugs, not spending on everyday things so paying for tv/media to help fund cash strapped hospitals is ok I think.
I'd 2 nights in a year ago at Inverclyde for an op and they didn't have these individual entertainment stations, just one tv in the ward, seemed pretty out of date and I'd have happily paid for hospedia, given a choice.

 

[Deleted Member 1156]

When in hospital you're still getting paid (if you're employed), you're getting all your meals free, free drugs, not spending on everyday things so paying for tv/media to help fund cash strapped hospitals is ok I think.

This isn't strictly true though because you have contributed to the NHS through your taxes.

 

[Dellboy]

Our local hospital has them and I do think they are over priced, but our hospital also gives you free wifi, so when my father was in having some treatment i just gave him my ipad to use and he could still in bed and watch Sky tv for free.

 

[anotherdouble]

My dad has been in hospital a lot this year and we pay £13 per month for wifi. Great price for him. He has sky go on the iPad and job done. If he didn't have this service we would pay for the TV service. Wether you agree with the pricing structure or not, the service available is invaluable to keep you sane if nothing else

 

[Fromtherough]

Hospitals need to be funded somehow and this is another way to help. We're in an era of decreased real time funding to Trusts and they need to make up whatever they can. The only other option would be to provide nothing to anyone - the money simply isn't there to provide these services for free.

Does this company actually help fund hospitals though? Or does it merely provide a service and then charge patients extortionate amounts for it?

 

[Lord Tyrion]

It may well be the latter but even if that is the case without them the service would not exist at all.

 

[SocketRocket]

Does this company actually help fund hospitals though? Or does it merely provide a service and then charge patients extortionate amounts for it?

It's like Car Parking in Hospitals, a rip off. It's Ok for people with a bit of dosh to suggest these costs are OK but what about the many that just have no way to fund it, I thought the NHS was supposed to be the big leveler whereby all that enter are treated the same. In the past every bed had a pair of headphones that allowed you to listen to a number of radio stations free of charge, surely that didn't cost the NHS much.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

I was in hospital for three and a half weeks a while back and to be honest the TV was a godsend being in a single ward under half hourly observation. Managed to watch the Open and it passed the time until my wife could visit at night. Yes it was expensive but being there for a while I got the longest package available. At the time wi-fi and so a pad etc wasn't an option.

I have no issue with it as a way of raising funds and the price is fixed by the external supplier and not the trust itself although clearly they make a profit as well

 

[Old Skier]

Visited folks in two different hospitals this year who were there long term and they had nothing in place in ways of pay tv, normal ward tv or radio. It was worse than being in nick.

Agree it's a bit pricey but if I was in I would have it just to keep me sane.

 

[Kellfire]

Hospedia will pay a fee to the hospital to peddle their wares there.

 

[Tashyboy]

Alike to Missis T about this and in essence both good and bad.

good, because if you cannot get out of room you don't go stir crazy.

Bad, expensive, stops people getting off there butts going into communal rooms, some folk leave tellys or radios on bogging off other patients.

understand trusts having to find brass to provide a service, but they do more than quite well ripping folk off with charges for tellys and parking.

 

[Fromtherough]

My wife has been in hospital for the last 5 days. Luckily we can afford to pay for the tv to prevent her going stir crazy and for that I'm glad there is the option of using a service like Hospedia's.

However I feel the price is ridiculous, bordering on extortionate and praying on the ill and infirm. Some aren't so fortunate to be able to afford the service and this is what got me thinking and prompted me to start the thread. Should they be allowed to target the vulnerable in this way? I totally get the fact that it's supply and demand. Regardless of what's been stated in here, I'm not sure Hospedia actually contribute anything to hospitals other than supplying the hardware and systems for use by patients. NHS trusts may get a cut of profits - if there are any -but am unsure of this. Regardless, £50 for 2 weeks worth of TV (and not the good channels) is a rip off imo. Even Murdoch couldn't get away with that!

 

[Deleted member 15344]

I'm not sure what else they can do ?

It costs money to get these services into hospitals and the NHS shouldn't pay for their paitents to be able to watch telly especially subscription services.

Normally there is a ward telly that is stuck on one channel that one person wants to use or there is wifi that can be used to get services on an iPad

Or pay for the service that is on offer. Again no one is forced to watch the telly - always a good book to read

 

[sawtooth]

For those unaware Hospedia is the system used in the NHS for patients to watch Tv/films whilst in their beds.
Prices include:

(1) £5 for 6 (six) hours of channels 1-5.
(2) £7.50 for 12 hours of very limited freeview plus access of up to 50 selected (2 or 3 year old) movies.
(3) £17.50 for 48 hours of option (2).
And so on and so on up to...
(4) £50 for 14 days of option (2). "Bargain".

To me this is an absolute scandal and smacks of ripping off the sick and vulnerable.

It's a disgrace and shouldn't. be allowed.

I feel sorry for the older patients that are in hospital for weeks on end with no alternatives like Ipad, phone etc. It's shameful and exploitative.

We used the service last year when other half was in hospital for a week. It wasn't even working correctly and what I find deplorable is that the time you pay is actual time not the time spent watching or using the service. So 24 hrs is probably only 8-10 hrs at most.

I complained and got a full refund. Never again.

 

[Rooter]

It's free on kids wards. Should be for oap's too. Where do you stop though? Means testing before admission? Bring your p60 and last 3 payslips and bank statements.?

 

[Deleted member 16999]

It's free on kids wards. Should be for oap's too. Where do you stop though? Means testing before admission? Bring your p60 and last 3 payslips and bank statements.?

D.O.B. will be on hospital record, ward administrator could enter code.