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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
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| NHS phone firm scraps price hike | NHS phone firm scraps price hike |
| (40 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, chief executive 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." |