FAIRTALK SURVEY BY PPI FORUMS ON HOSPITAL BEDSIDE TELEPHONE SYSTEMS

Early day motion 2161, tabled 12 May 2006 by Sharon Hodgson (Labour). Signed by 58 members.

That this House recognises the concerns expressed by many hon. Members and others about the high cost of incoming calls to hospital bedside telephones provided by Patient-line, Premier and Hospital Telephone Services; warmly welcomes the Fairtalk survey carried out by Patient and Public Involvement forums across England which covered 40 per cent. of all hospitals using these services and questioned 1,255 patients and members of the public, a much larger sample than previously surveyed; notes that in 88 per cent. of cases people surveyed rated the cost of inbound calls as expensive or very expensive and in some cases as causing real hardship, and that 80 per cent. were not aware of any areas within hospitals where they could use a mobile phone; and calls on the Government to ensure these findings are taken into full account during the current review of the use of mobile phones in hospitals and when awarding or reviewing the contracts to the providers of bedside telephone systems.

Signatures by party: Labour 36, Liberal Democrat 14, Conservative 6, Social Democratic and Labour Party 2.