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| NHS phone firm scraps price hike | |
| (16 minutes later) | |
| Hospital phone operator Patientline has scrapped an increase in the price of making bedside calls. | Hospital phone operator Patientline has scrapped an increase in the price of making bedside calls. |
| In April it put up the cost of a call from 10p per minute to 26p - the tariff will now revert to 10p per minute. | In April it put up the cost of a call from 10p per minute to 26p - the tariff will now revert to 10p per minute. |
| The minimum charge of a call has also been cut from 40p to 10p, but friends and relatives will still have to pay 49p a minute to call in to loved ones. | The minimum charge of a call has also been cut from 40p to 10p, but friends and relatives will still have to pay 49p a minute to call in to loved ones. |
| Patientline said use of its service had been lower than expected, leaving it struggling with debts. | Patientline said use of its service had been lower than expected, leaving it struggling with debts. |
| The private company also provides television screens and radio and internet services at hospital bedsides. | The private company also provides television screens and radio and internet services at hospital bedsides. |
| Its systems are installed at more than 75,000 hospital bedsides. | Its systems are installed at more than 75,000 hospital bedsides. |
| In April the company announced it was £80m in debt, and it needed to recoup costs after investing £180m in its terminals. | In April the company announced it was £80m in debt, and it needed to recoup costs after investing £180m in its terminals. |
| More mobiles used | More mobiles used |
| It is threatened by a growing number of hospitals permitting the use of mobile phones on wards. | It is threatened by a growing number of hospitals permitting the use of mobile phones on wards. |
| It has also suffered from criticism over its charges and selling tactics. | It has also suffered from criticism over its charges and selling tactics. |
| Telecoms regulator Ofcom launched an investigation into the high prices levied by the company. | Telecoms regulator Ofcom launched an investigation into the high prices levied by the company. |
| It concluded charges were the result of contracts struck with NHS trusts, which in some cases gave Patientline the exclusive right to provide telecommmunications systems for many years. | It concluded charges were the result of contracts struck with NHS trusts, which in some cases gave Patientline the exclusive right to provide telecommmunications systems for many years. |
| And earlier this year ex-employees of Patientline complained to the BBC that they had been forced to approach sick patients to try and enrol them with the service. | And earlier this year ex-employees of Patientline complained to the BBC that they had been forced to approach sick patients to try and enrol them with the service. |
| Michael Summers, of the Patients Association, said 49p was too high a price for relatives to pay to phone their loved ones. | Michael Summers, of the Patients Association, said 49p was too high a price for relatives to pay to phone their loved ones. |
| He said: "It is getting pretty close to robbery, frankly. They must realise that most of these people are not in a position to pay these sort of fees." | He said: "It is getting pretty close to robbery, frankly. They must realise that most of these people are not in a position to pay these sort of fees." |
| Dr Steven Lowden, chairman of the Commission for Patient and Public Involvement in Health welcomed the decision to scrap an increase in call charges, but agreed said the tariff for in-coming calls was too high. | |
| However, Charlotte Brown, commercial director of Patientline, said the company had now cut prices twice this year, following a reduction in the cost of watching television from a hospital bed. | However, Charlotte Brown, commercial director of Patientline, said the company had now cut prices twice this year, following a reduction in the cost of watching television from a hospital bed. |
| She said: "The price cut is testament to our dedication to making people's stay in hospital easier, by offering customers some of the entertainment and communication choices they would enjoy at home." | She said: "The price cut is testament to our dedication to making people's stay in hospital easier, by offering customers some of the entertainment and communication choices they would enjoy at home." |