Patient hits out at £82 bill to watch hospital TV

HOSPITAL chiefs have been accused of exploiting the sick after a patient paid £82 to watch television for four days.

Rhona Beattie hoped that the programmes would distract her from the severe pain she was suffering while a patient at Edinburgh Royal Infirmary.

But the mother, from Musselburgh, East Lothian, was shocked to find the pay-as-you-view service cost her an average of £20.50 per day to use. Although a week’s access is available for £40, she had no idea how long she would be in for so chose to pay daily.

In a posting on social media shared more than 200 times, she wrote: ‘I am flabbergasted at the extortionate charges for viewing television and at a time when I as many other patients are suffering and feeling very vulnerable.’

She added: ‘This blatant exploitation of sick and vulnerable patients needs to be addressed.’

The ERI is an NHS hospital but run by the private sector. Consort Healthcare insist patients who want to watch television pay for the Hospedia TV service.

Last night, a Hospedia spokesman said: ‘As a gesture of good will, I can confirm our contact centre will be in touch with Rhona Beattie shortly to credit her back the £27.50 she would have saved if she had initially bought the longer-term package.’