Patientline (Hansard, 23 July 2004)

§ Mr. Burstow
To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what costs to patients are incurred by(a) registering with Patientline and (b) making a request for a bedside television set to be switched off; [186188]
(2) whether patients have been charged for (a) registering with Patientline and (b) making a request for bedside televisions to be switched off. [186189]

§ Mr. Hutton
There are no costs to patients for either registering with Patientline or making a request for a bedside television set to be switched off and no such charges have been levied in the past.

§ Mr. Burstow
To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the services offered by Patientline, including costs to patients. [186190]

§ Mr. Hutton
The table shows the range of services provided by Patientline to patients and the cost of those services.

Services Cost

Radio (typically six
stations)
No charge at any time

Television (typically
16 channels)
Free for one hour per day and to
children aged 16 or under at all times.
TV viewing costs £3.20 to £3.50 for a
day's viewing, with concessions for
those aged 60 years or over, or those in
hospital for longer periods.

Outgoing telephone
calls
10 pence per minute (minimum 20 pence)
for all local and national calls to fixed
lines, charges for calls to mobiles,
overseas numbers and special numbers
vary.

Internet and email 4 pence per minute

Games 50 pence per game

924W

§ Mr. Burstow
To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many requests have been made to Patientline for bedside television sets to be switched off. [186191]

§ Mr. Hutton
The Patientline service has been operational for over nine years and is currently being used by some 40.000 patients each day. We are advised by Patientline that during this time requests to turn the units off have never been significant; therefore the company has not recorded how many requests have been made.
All units are capable of being turned off by patients registered on the system, using the on/off switch located on the front of the terminal 2 units and all of those currently being manufactured. In the case of the earlier models—terminal 1 units—a sequence of buttons can be used. Terminal where there is no patient registered on the system can be switched off by Patientiline staff at any time, if a request is made to do so.

Services	Cost
Radio (typically six stations)	No charge at any time
Television (typically 16 channels)	Free for one hour per day and to children aged 16 or under at all times. TV viewing costs £3.20 to £3.50 for a day's viewing, with concessions for those aged 60 years or over, or those in hospital for longer periods.
Outgoing telephone calls	10 pence per minute (minimum 20 pence) for all local and national calls to fixed lines, charges for calls to mobiles, overseas numbers and special numbers vary.
Internet and email	4 pence per minute
Games	50 pence per game