Hospital TV supplier slammed over charge

A COMPANY supplying television to hospital patients has been criticised for refusing to offer it free to those injured in the Manchester Arena attack.

Hospedia, the private firm behind the bedside TV and phone system, was contacted by a member of staff and the relative of a patient at Salford Royal Hospital, requesting free TV.

But the company has refused to waive or discount the fee – which ranges from £25 to £40 a week depending on the package.

Young people staying on children’s wards get the service for free from 7am until 7pm, while those on adult wards get five free channels from 8am to noon.

Outside those times patients, some as young as 17, are having to pay. Some of those seriously injured in the Arena atrocity are facing months of treatment in hospital. Hospedia marketing director Julian Graves told the M.E.N. that the company made an exception by offering free TV to all patients on the day after the bomb, but said it would be unfair on other patients to carry that on.

A Salford Royal employee, who asked to remain anonymous, told us: “I know that at least one member of staff has called the company to ask on behalf of a victim and been told ‘no’.

“A family member of one of the victims also called and was very annoyed when they refused to supply it – they even refused to offer any discount.

“Children get the service for free but some of these young ones without it are only 17.

“Asking for free TV might seem something trivial in the grand scheme of what’s happened, but these people have been through enough and some of them face a long road to recovery.

“Companies like this should be doing all they can to help when families are struggling to come to terms with what’s happened to their loved ones.”

A spokesperson for Salford Royal confirmed the charges are set by Hospedia, a separate supplier which delivers services for most NHS hospitals across the UK.

Mr Graves said: “It’s not our policy to give free TV, except in the mornings when everybody gets it and those on children’s wards get it 7am to 7pm.”