‘Rip-off’ hospital charges: premium phone numbers, TV charges and parking costs

Patients and their families are being charged millions of pounds to speak to loved ones, watch telly or simply park.

Patients and their families are being treated as “cash cows” in hospital as they are forced to pay a host of “rip-off” fees, critics claims.

People are being charged up to 50p a minute to speak to loved ones in hospital, while patients have to fork out up to £20 a day to watch TV.

Hospedia – the private company that supplies and maintains TV and bedside phones for NHS hospitals – earned more than £21 million last year.

Tim Farron, leader of the Liberal Democrats, has described the TV and phone charges as a “total rip off”.

He added: “When channels are free at home and people have already paid for their TV licence, it is unfair for them to need to pay it again.

“Hospitals and these businesses are treating the sick as cash cows.”

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How the costs add up

When you ring a patient in hospital on their bedside phone, you’ll need to dial an ‘070’ number.

The cost varies from one hospital to the next, but there have been reports of callers being charged 50p per minute.

The costs can quickly mount up – not least because you’re forced to listen to a 70-second pre-recorded message at the start of the call.

As for watching TV, the costs there are also staggering. Last year, Hospedia doubled its minimum price for a TV package from £2.50 to £5.

What’s more, patients could have to pay up to £20 a day if they want access to premium channels like Sky Sports.

There’s not a hell of a lot you can do to avoid these charges beyond ensuring you have a mobile phone and/or tablet with you.

What does the regulator say?

An Ofcom spokesperson told the Guardian that the regulator was “concerned” about the use of 070 numbers in hospital.

They added: “We want to ensure adequate safeguards for consumers so we are examining the use of 070 number ranges, amid concerns that the cost of calling these numbers can be confusing.

“We welcome evidence of any harm so we can further protect consumers.”

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Other hospital costs to watch out for

Another area where families of the sick are being penalised is in the parking lot (although not in Scotland and Wales).

A report from the Press Association earlier this year found that hospitals in England collected more than £120 million last year in parking fees, up 5% on 2015.

Katherine Murphy, chief executive of health charity Patients Association, claims the research highlights how hospitals are “taking money from the sick and vulnerable to top up NHS coffers”.

She added: “This is not what car parking charges should be used for... we take a very clear line that car parking fees need to be scrapped or strictly capped.”

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