Kingston patients get bedside phones

12.11.02

Local MPs launch new "Patientline" service

Edward Davey, Liberal Democrat MP for Kingston and Surbiton, and Jenny Tonge, Liberal Democrat MP for Richmond Park, today helped launch the new Patientline service at Kingston Hospital. The new service provides a telephone by every bed, plus a radio and a screen for TV and internet - all at no cost to the taxpayer. The Borough's two MPs described this as "an important step forward to improving the quality of hospital stay".

The Patientline service enables patients to make and receive telephone calls in bed, listen to radio, watch television and films and even play games. Kingston Hospital has also "leapfrogged" other hospitals and become one of the first 7 hospitals nationwide to provide internet access at patients' beds. The internet access will allow patients both to contact friends and family by e-mail and look at websites for information and entertainment.

The new service hasn't cost the NHS a penny - and is paid for partly out of prepayment cards paid for by patients and partly out of telephone charges paid by relatives calling in.

Commenting, Edward Davey MP said:

"Patientline should significantly improve the experience of hospital stay for all patients - whether it's the TV service they like or they want to surf the web.

"Many patients will find the bedside telephone particularly useful. It should also improve the care nurses can offer, as they will save time carting the old 'phone trolley around the ward.

"I was amazed to meet a new mum emailing her friends only three hours after giving birth.

"Eventually doctors should even be able to call up medical records and test results at the bedside, so this is not just about patient comfort but also a step forward medically.

"While patients do have to pay for some of these services, they had to pay previously to watch TV or make a telephone call. Patientline provides extra services - and the system ensures that when a patient really needs a key service, they will still be able to access it."