Malcolm Posted May 10, 2012 Report Share Posted May 10, 2012 Free Wi-fi is supplied for tourists in various places throughout Shetland, but why is it not supplied for those forced to stay in hospital /I recently spent a month in the Gilbert Bain and Aberdeen hospitals. Aberdeen has units that are suspended over the beds where for a fee you can get TV,Radio and/or internet, however at the Gilbert Bain "nothing". My other half ended up bringing a tv in to stop me going mad with boredom. Surely there must be a way to get these (now basic) services supplied for patients. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paulb Posted May 10, 2012 Report Share Posted May 10, 2012 they cant even cover the basics at the moment expecting tv and internet are way down the list. sorry malcolm books have always been the patients option. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shetlandpeat Posted May 10, 2012 Report Share Posted May 10, 2012 I wonder how much it would cost? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paulb Posted May 10, 2012 Report Share Posted May 10, 2012 knowing the nhs a couple of billion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wastafirth 01 Posted May 10, 2012 Report Share Posted May 10, 2012 The rooms in maternity all have tvs in them, then there's also the tv in the day room there. Perhaps it's something they are planning on rolling out throughout the hospital? I do know that Maternity has been "done-up" within the past 2 years. I would however be careful what you wish for... surely free tv access would be the preferred option? The prices for accessing radio and tv on these units in south hospitals cost a fortune for the patient. Fine if you're in overnight, but what if it's an extended stay? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shetlandpeat Posted May 10, 2012 Report Share Posted May 10, 2012 So, at a time of these cuts, removal of PCTs, you want to divert funding so you can look at Shetlink while a junior doctor lubes up the endoscope. Why not use a smart phone, and your own account. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tirvaluk Posted May 10, 2012 Report Share Posted May 10, 2012 I did think a laptop with internet access in the dayroom would have been good. But a TV in the ward can be a disturbance to those needing rest.I'm sure some oil company could sponsor it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Girzie Posted May 10, 2012 Report Share Posted May 10, 2012 My Bro used a laptop and dongle which we purchased for him while he was a longstay patient. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Malcolm Posted May 10, 2012 Author Report Share Posted May 10, 2012 So, at a time of these cuts, removal of PCTs, you want to divert funding so you can look at Shetlink while a junior doctor lubes up the endoscope. Why not use a smart phone, and your own account. I did, but there were other patients there who only had the roof or four walls to stare at. I asked a simple question (the endoscope quip was uncalled for) based on how visitors to shetland are given internet access but bedridden patients are not afforded the same opportunity. Oh and where did I mention the NHS paying for this? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shetlandpeat Posted May 10, 2012 Report Share Posted May 10, 2012 In most cases when the Hospital chooses to charge the users for the service we credit your business with a share of the revenue collected straight into a nominated bank account on a monthly basis. A monthly statement will detail all transactions and users of your service. http://www.wifispark.com/example-markets/hospital-wifi It seems to be charged to the hospital/PCT. So, someone has to pay. There is no problems using mobile technology. If folk are being charged, they may want a good service. They would be able to collect data as well no doubt. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Para Handy Posted May 10, 2012 Report Share Posted May 10, 2012 I had my Laptop and dongle and a tv tuner with me and headphonesI dont see why the could not connect to the fiber cable and put the internet into the GBH even if you had to pay for say two weeks broadband.I would have been happy to pay so £20 or more not everyone in the hospital has friends or family to do banking pay bills online ectI does not need to be free. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fifi Posted May 10, 2012 Report Share Posted May 10, 2012 The TV/internet/phone systems on an extending arm above the bed in some wards in the ARI are run by a private company (Hospedia) so AFAIK no cost to the NHS. They have headphones, so are actually less intrusive than the large ward TVs you get in some wards/hospitals. They are expensive but handy when you're in hospital. I found the internet pretty slow and virtually unusable and tended to use my mobile for calls & internet. Hospedia - ARI BBC Watchdog - Are hospital bedside service providers being hospitable? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doodle Posted May 10, 2012 Report Share Posted May 10, 2012 Thanks FiFi, I was trying to remember what the company was called! The setup in Aberdeen seems like a win-win situation for the private company and the hospital - one gets lots of money and the other gets to boast of their internet access and tv availability to each bed. Unfortunately, it is expensive for the poor sod lying in the bed (although I seem to remember a limited internet service for non-subscribers?). I can't see of any other realistic way of providing this sort of service though. The installation costs of the individual monitors to each bed must have been enormous. True, they could provide wi-fi (trying to get back on-subject!) but this would only benefit the people who had the time/foresight/availability to bring their own laptops into the hospital. If the company who installed the system in Aberdeen were interested in supplying a similar service in Shetland, that would probably be the best way to go (or something along those lines). I personally used a dongle (which gave me a faster connection in the hospital in Aberdeen than my home landline connection!). Cheap and easy, although I have to admit that I don't know how well they work in the GBH. I would highly recommend anyone going to Aberdeen to use one of those. As for as providing free wi-fi access in the hospital though, it's a nice thought but I just don't see it working out. [sorry for the long post!] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tirvaluk Posted May 10, 2012 Report Share Posted May 10, 2012 I think it would be great publicity for the likes of BP or Total to pay for it, it wouldn't cost much, or even Viking Energy, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muppet Posted May 11, 2012 Report Share Posted May 11, 2012 I spent a while in ARI in the days before Hospedia. There were plenty of TV's mainly donated. What happened to all those I wonder? At that time I was on prolonged sick leave and therefore not earning much. I had a Wife and young Family to provide for and a mortgage to pay. Had I had a Hospedia unit at my bedside, I simply would not have used it for the cost. It's all well and good for those who can afford it, but many people in hospital, especially for extended periods, simply are not in a position to pay for it, and are now denied the use of the donated TV's. Wi-Fi needn't be expensive to provide. There's every likelihood that there's already a secure system in place for the NHS use. I would certainly like to see Wi-Fi provided at a realistic cost for Patients use. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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