Oldham hospital patients told to pay for TV before Christmas

Karol Williams said her 87-year-old mother has been staying at the hospital for the past five weeks and will most likely be in over the festive period.

However, the woman said with just five days to go until Christmas, the hospital reinstated charges for patients to watch TV and her mum was unable to watch Emmerdale without incurring the cost.

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Ms Williams said: "Talk about the Grinch.

"It's £7 a day for all normal channels, so patients in over Christmas now have to pay.

"Their timing couldn't be more inappropriate.

"Someone has authorised this, right before Christmas, so those who do not get visitors can't even watch TV without it costing quite a bit."

The concerned woman said the charges were suddenly brought in without warning and said costs could soon rack up for vulnerable patients.

If her mother had paid the daily flat rate so far, it would have cost £245 in total.

The fees have been rolled out across the hospital after the Northern Care Alliance NHS Foundation Trust, which runs Royal Oldham, withdrew its funding for television and entertainment packages as of Saturday, December 16.

A spokesperson for Spark TSL, which took over Hospedia Ltd and runs the entertainment at Royal Oldham, said the company is working hard to try and re-establish free television across the hospital and is passionate about making patient entertainment free.

However, the company admitted "budget constraints are tight" with the trust.

Spark TSL also said there are a range of packages for patients to choose from, depending on their length of stay.

The website states access to all TV channels for one day costs patients £7.90, which increases to £9.90 for movies, while patients staying in hospital for three days can pay £19.90 to watch TV or £34.90 for a seven-day package.

Meanwhile, longer stays of up to 30 days cost £59.90.

The daily rate to watch TV is costing patients £7.90, though 'savings' can be made for packages on longer stays (Image: Karol Williams)

Children in hospital have a slightly reduced fee when it comes to watching TV, starting from £1.90 for two hours of TV up to £10 for three days (including kids movies) or £15 for five days.

Ms Williams continued: "Imagine people having to pay for that length of time. 

"The elderly don't all use iPads to download programmes.

"I only found out when I went to put my mum's TV on ready for Emmerdale and couldn't figure out why it kept taking me to payment.

"Just the sheer timing of it - you couldn't get it more wrong."

Spark LTD said patients can choose from a package "as little as £2 a day" and advised those staying in the hospital for longer periods should call its 24/7 helpdesk to find the right bedside package deal.

The company's spokesperson said: "At the Royal Oldham Hospital we were able to provide free television to patients up until 16th December when unfortunately, due to the pressures on the NHS, the funding allocated to free TV by the trust was withdrawn.

"We are working with the trust to re-establish this important service but budget constraints are tight.

"In the meantime, television is now free up until noon and calls are also free. 

"Patients who would like to watch television outside of the free period have a choice of packages from as little as £2 a day."

Spark LTD also said it will provide free television in all its hospitals across the UK on Christmas Day and Boxing Day.

The spokesperson added: "SPARK is committed to finding ways where our services can be offered free to patients.

"The trusts want the same and we are doing everything we can collectively to make this happen."

The news comes as nurses and staff at Royal Oldham Hospital claim they are also being unfairly and financially penalised for using the staff car park.

A nurse said she has been one of several to receive a fixed penalty notice and a £70 fine for using the hospital's car park after she was denied an NHS permit by the Northern Care Alliance for the first time in seven years.

Other staff members at the hospital said enforcement had been "ramped up" in the car park and that only "lucky" people managed to get a permit.

The Northern Care Alliance has been approached for comment.

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