Mobile Phones in Hospital

[#1]

It always used to be the case, to the best of my knowledge, that Mobile Phones could not be used in Hospitals.

However, on a recent visit to a relative on an open ward, Mobile Phones were openly being used, in fact the Nurses actively suggested patients use them to contact relatives...

This is a great relaxation of any previous ban.

And each bed also had those PAYG TV/Phone systems, though calls to 01, 02 & 03 numbers appeared to be free at all times, with free terrestrial TV between 8am & noon.

There was also Free WiFi available on the ward.

Perhaps it's just that this particular Hospital has an enlightened outlook.

Maybe it's only some Hospitals that allow this, & certainly not in certain areas with sensitive electronic equipment.

[#2]

Same in the QA at Portsmouth..

so not exclusive to your hospital.

[#3]

Mobile have been allowed for some time now in hospitals, because, it turned out that the equipment they use in hospitals just happened to be properly shielded from RF interference by design, so, mobile devices are safe to use in hospitals...

[#4]

Free at the bed, but watch out if you dial in to one of those phones. My experience is the patients are given an "incoming" phone number for the bedside phones, but dial in to that number and you'll pay a small kings ransom.

[#5]

I was in hospital in June '15 and there were no restrictions on mobiles then. There wasn't any free WiFi but a £15 bundle from Three included all you can eat data.

This was Fairfield Hospital in Bury.

[#6]

Not sure if all hospitals are the same but it was costing about £15 per 24hrs (can't remember the exact amount but it was expensive) to watch TV when my mum was in hospital earlier this year.

[#7]

In the Royal National Orthopaedic in 2000 for ten days there were no restrictions on mobile phones then. The biggest problem was somewhere to hide it when not in the ward, the staff refused (probably quite rightly) to take responsibility for it.

There was a pay phone on a long lead with a socket every other bed. One particular patient ran a small company and continually asked (demanded actually) other patients to stop using it as he was awaiting a vital call - none did -. Those of us with mobiles made a rather elaborate show of using them when he was around. To his intense irritation.

[#8]

Back in 2006 when my wife was in hospital I used the payphone near the nurses station on her ward a few times.

That was until a doctor told me to use my company supplied mobile as they used them all the time throughout the hospital and the notion that they interfered with hospital equipment was no longer the case.

This was good because it meant that my wife could speak to people that lived too far away to visit easily.

[#9]

SWMBO was in Watford General a couple of years ago and they had a pay-for-card system for television. All of the beds in the ward she was on had a small overhead 12 inch TV or about that size, cards could be purchased in machines around the hospital. In practice I found a number of the machines weren't working or took your money and failed to deliver a card. I did eventually get a refund from the company that ran it.

Seemed if it was working a reasonably good system. I don't really recall how much it was, I think around £10 a day rings a bell.

[#10]

PAYG Tv is just a CON its poooh , may as well just use the free WIFI

No one in my local hospital uses them , all have tablets of phones with headphones

[#11]

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@Browni wrote:
I was in hospital in June '15 and there were no restrictions on mobiles then. There wasn't any free WiFi but a £15 bundle from Three included all you can eat data.

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Yeah but the gotcha is that three don't allow tethering and actively disconnect sims that use it

[#12]

You can't get AYCE data for £15 now either 😎

[#13]

Are you allowed to charge your mobile phone whilst in hospital ?

[#14]

Yes but that may depend on the trust.

[#15]

Yes....

Tablets too.

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At least in the one we recently visited.