The sick and worried’
The huge cost of even the briefest of stays
MILLIONS of patients are being “exploited” when they buy essentials in hospital shops, a Daily Express probe has found.
Retail giants, such as WHSmith and Marks & Spencer are charging a premium for items that sell on the High Street for far less.
Campaigners said “cynical” price hikes that see the vulnerable fleeced for must-have toiletries and treats amounts to a tax on illness. Customers have little choice about where they shop.
Rachel Power, Patients Association chief executive, said: “When someone is unwell, they should still be considered a valued customer, not a target for exploitation.”
Our nationwide probe found that at Sainsbury’s in Dartford a litre bottle of Lucozade costs £1 yet the WHSmith store at Darent Valley Hospital in Dartford, Kent, charges £1.60.
Competitive
We also found M&S ramps up prices. At its store at Broomfield Hospital in Chelmsford, Essex, a £3.30 BLT sandwich, costs £2.80 at a nearby High Street store.
At the Amgio shop at Bradford Royal Infirmary a 250ml bottle of Lynx shower gel is £3.19 and £2.50 St James’ Hospital in Leeds. Yet it is priced at just £1 at Tesco.
M&S said: “We work hard to keep prices competitive. However, in line with other retailers, prices can be a little higher in these locations due to increased running costs.”
WHSmith said: “Prices in our hospital stores are the same as or lower than our High Street store prices. For small convenience ranges such as toiletries and grocery lines we align to the everyday prices of Boots and Sainsbury’s Local.” WORRIED relatives risk running up a huge phone bill calling patients.
Although outgoing calls to landline numbers starting 01, 02 or 03 are free, incoming calls via Hospedia bedside handsets often cost 50p a minute.
Age UK charity director Caroline Abrahams revealed older people are particularly vulnerable as they tend to have longer hospital stays and don’t always own mobile phones.
She said: “It’s vital that providers remove barriers which could potentially prevent or deter a patient’s loved ones from getting in touch.”
It is believed that Hospedia is able to charge high prices through using 070 numbers.
An Ofcom spokesperson said: “We have set out plans that should reduce the cost of calling 070 numbers.
“We will publish the outcome of our review later this summer.”
David Hickson, of the Fair Telecoms Campaign, added: “The use of these numbers for contacting people who are unwell in hospital exploits those who are vulnerable... it is a rip-off.”
Hospedia declined to comment. phone services. But hospital shop essentials also quickly add up. Toiletries are among those items often bumped up in price.
A bottle of Dove shampoo and some Lynx Africa shower gel that can be bought for a total of £2.35 in ordinary shops could set you back as much as £5.68 in Reporter Joe Duggan had good reason to look glum at the cost of items in hospitals
THE GREAT DIVIDE ON PRICES...
LUCOZADE: £1.60 Darent Valley Hospital Dartford, £1 Sainsbury’s Dartford