No I know you weren't Ray.Ian has suggested that if this Patientline facility works on a LAN, then why couldn't I use my laptop on it? If I could put in their SMTP for outgoing mail, I should be able to connect to Sky, my ISP. But he said this very tongue in cheek, and with an extremely wicked laugh. Chances of getting away with that are minimal I reckon.
I do, however, think there is a serious argument here though. If I, or someone in similar circumstances, can't be mobile and walk about to use a mobile in a designated area - assuming there will be one - then surely there should be an exception or circumstances whereby they could relax the rules. It's something I'll need to ask when I get there. They've always been very good to us in the past, so here's hoping.
The last time I was in there was 2000, when I had only just started using a mobile, and not with TALKS either. They used to always bring me the pay-phone to ring home, whenever there wasn't a queue for it. But most patients could eventually get about to go to other parts of the hospital or use their phones outside. I couldn't ever do it as I needed a nurse to go with me everywhere, and I wasn't allowed to be mobile for long anyway.
The whole issue of people with a visual impairment being in hospital is an interesting one to me anyway because I've heard so many mixed experiences.
Thanks for your thoughts. Jackie----- Original Message ----- From: "Ray's Home" <rays-home@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: <access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> Sent: Wednesday, October 24, 2007 11:01 AM Subject: [access-uk] Re: Access to Patientline facilities
Jackie, I wasn't trying to sidestep the issue of accessability you raised, but it reminds me of a friend who is total who spent a couple of months or more in hospital, and in his case it happened to be advanced back surgury - and he did use the in-house phone facility, or patient line. I don't recall him saying he had difficulty with it. Mind you, another friend of ours did take in a mobile, but as it happened it wasn't too practical to use it as the hospital was low lying with surrounding trees which tended to screen the signal somewhat. Think it worked out on the communal leisure area though. I must say I'm getting increasingly annoyed by the supposed legitimacy of holding people to randsome in the use of services such as these. It is high time some strict regulation was brought to bear on these services. I might out of interest take a look at what the Consumers' Association's take on this is. I have an increasing concern too over premium rate numbers, but maybe that's best left out of this discussion. Hope we get more contributions of this. Cheers, From Ray I can be contacted off-list at: mailto:ray-48@xxxxxxxx -----Original Message----- Jackie Cairns Looking at the info on the NHS Grampian website Ray, it clearly states the use of mobiles within the hospital is not permitted due to what they describe as interference with electrical equipment. I will be on a high dependency ward for a while, though hopefully not all the time. I will ask about taking my phone, but that's what is posted on the website as of the end of July this year. I just wondered if anyone has used these Patientline facilities. You can almost guarantee they won't be accessible to us. Blimey it's expensive being incapacitated isn't it? (smile.) Jackie ----- Original Message ----- From: "Ray's Home" <rays-home@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> To: <access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> Sent: Wednesday, October 24, 2007 10:04 AM Subject: [access-uk] Re: Access to Patientline facilitiesJackie, I understand Patient Line has had to bring its prices downoflate, no doubt due to competition from people using their mobiles. I'd say there's a fair chance you can use your mobile in hospital,anda lot of the stories put around about interference to 'sensitive' equipment were spread no doubt by patient line itself, and don'tthinkI'm being unduly synical there. Still this said there are someunitsin hospitals that might indeed have issues with mobiles. From Ray I can be contacted off-list at: mailto:ray-48@xxxxxxxx -----Original Message----- From: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx]On Behalf Of Jackie Cairns Sent: 24 October 2007 9:50AM To: Access UK Mailing List Subject: [access-uk] Access to Patientline facilities Hi All Browsing the website of the hospital I shall be admitted to soon, I have pasted below some information about Patientline facilities, and wonder if anyone has used them before and, if so, how accessibletheyare. The last time I was in there they just had a pay phone thatyoucould spend a fortune to access with a card you put in the slot.Butit seems to have gone a lot further than that now, and I wonder if anyone else has used the facilities available. Thanks. Jackie Patientline® is now available as an option to patients on some ofourwards. This system lets you make and receive phone calls from your bedside. Family and friends can call you directly at your bedside, using yourpersonalPatientline® number. If you have to move to a different ward during your stay, your Patientline® account moves with you. Outgoing telephone calls are charged at 26p per minute. Incoming calls are charged to the caller at 39p per minute off peak times and 49p per minute at peak times. The answer phoneandmessaging services are free. The Patientline® system also gives you access to 33 TV channels, 5 radio channels, internet and e-mail facilities and 8 games. Theradiochannels are available for free. All the other services (excluding phone calls) cost £2.90 for 24 hours, £7.00 for a 3 day package (saving you £1.70) or £10.00 for a five day package (saving you £4.50). As well as offering the radio channels for free, Patientline® offeranumber of other free services including 1 hour of free TV each dayatbreakfast-time and free TV for children up to and including 16 years of age (until 9pm). Vending machines have been installed in public areas throughout the hospitals so that you or your relatives can purchase cards whichwillenable you to use the services available. Credits for using the system can alsobepurchased using your credit or debit card at your bedside unit. You will receive information on using Patientline® when you enter hospital. Information leaflets are also available in public areas of the hospitals.** To leave the list, click on the immediately-following link:- ** [mailto:access-uk-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx?subject=unsubscribe] ** If this link doesn't work then send a message to: ** access-uk-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx ** and in the Subject line type ** unsubscribe ** For other list commands such as vacation mode, click on the ** immediately-following link:- ** [mailto:access-uk-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx?subject=faq] ** or send a message, to ** access-uk-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with the Subject:- faq -- No virus found in this incoming message. Checked by AVG Free Edition.Version: 7.5.503 / Virus Database: 269.15.8/1089 - Release Date: 23/10/2007 19:39
** To leave the list, click on the immediately-following link:- ** [mailto:access-uk-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx?subject=unsubscribe] ** If this link doesn't work then send a message to: ** access-uk-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx ** and in the Subject line type ** unsubscribe ** For other list commands such as vacation mode, click on the ** immediately-following link:- ** [mailto:access-uk-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx?subject=faq] ** or send a message, to ** access-uk-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with the Subject:- faq