By Jo Best, 13 October 2006 14:40
NEWS
Using mobile phones should not be banned in hospitals, according to medical researchers.
Writing in the British Medical Journal, academics Adam Burgess and Stuart Derbyshire said prohibiting the use of mobiles is unnecessary and the devices do not interfere with medical equipment.
The pair added that the most likely downside from the use of mobiles in hospitals will be the annoyance caused by ringtones, rather than health risks posed by their use. The researchers also argue there may be benefits to hospitals adopting mobiles by improving communication between staff who currently rely on pagers.
While many hospitals remain no-go areas for mobile users, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency has advised the medical profession that rather than banning all mobiles, they should work to balance the risks.
However, the two academics believe rules on mobile use will become even more restrictive following recommendations by the Department of Health that handsets which take photos or videos should be banned to protect patient privacy.
Comments
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1. anonymous
They Work fine in the Spanish Hospitals
All Staff patients & Visiters use them
and saw no problem
2. anonymous
Need to remember that a lot of hospitals have signed contracts with private companies to provide patient bedside phone services so they won't be keen to see any ban on mobiles relaxed !!
3. Mr Brian G Faulkner
My wife and I have both been in Spanish hospital and have used our mobiles with no problems. Yes, the ring tone can maybe annoy, but you hear them everywhere.
Can anyone name a place where you cannot hear mobiles, apart from British hospitals of course.
4. Simon
Could there be any link between the ban on mobiles and the income from overpriced payphones ?
5. Roy Corneloues
By banning mobiles, patients are forced to use the over priced patient services which are forced on them so that the hospitals can squeeze as much out of us as possible... It's the same with parking.
As the other commenter says, they work fine in Spain, and I'm sire that there are other countries where they are allowed. So why not here?
6. Joe Buckley
A few years ago I fractured my spine (fortunately not too seriously) in a road accident - They still insisted I walk outside the hospital if I wanted to call my wife and tell her about it. (no phones were available inside the casualty department)
Common sense is not a feature in hospitals...
7. anonymous
You only have to call a hospital patient on the 'Personal Number' service and experience the outrageous charges, to realise what a money making racket this is, far worse even than their immoral car park charges.
No wonder mobiles are banned in hospitals and are justified through FUD (Fear Uncertainty & Doubt).
8. Richard
UK hospitals are now businesses:
Thanks to government policies, UK hospitals are now run as businesses; most have forgotten their public service or caring role.
Until recently, most hospital wards had a portable payphone and a TV; both provided by donations.
Now, many hospitals have signed contracts with private companies which provide expensive private phones and TVs - and ban mobile phones!
These phones charge a high price for incoming as well as for outgoing calls.
Similarly, my local hospital has now ejected the WRVS volunteers who used to run a "tea bar," shop and trolley service to the wards.
In future, these will be run by a commercial operator and charge patients much higher prices.
It's the same for car parks: Hospitals moved out of city centres onto distant "campus" sites. This meant that most patients & visitors have to come by car.
Hospitals saw a business opportunity: They brought in private companies to "run" their car parks: Parking charges have risen steadily - patients & visitors have little alternative but to pay these escalating charges.
Stupidly, most of these higher charges goes to the private companies: Patients & visitors pay a lot more but the hospitals actually receive very little.
9. Martin Johnson
I've just been hospitalised in Auckland City Hospital and was able to use my smartphone in all wards and emergency depts. I was told by many medical staff that they were no problem.
It was indispensible in keeping people informed of my condition and doubtless freed the staff to get on with more important tasks.
Regarding ringtones, I hardly ever heard one, most people kept them on low ring tones. And, there were no notices posted on walls and no info handed out telling us how to use them. People were all very adult about it.
They are normal part of everyday life and add amazing value.
It's about time our own hospitals stopped playing God and woke up to the realities.....
rgds
MJ
10. Tim W
As I see it, the main reason for continuing to ban mobile phones is nothing to do with safety and everything to do with increasing the revenue generated by the exhorbitantly priced phone service provided in many hospitals.
11. anonymous
The same goes for the farcical ban at petrol stations.
There has never been a case of an explosion at a petrol station due to the use of a digital mobile phone.
The authorities need to get themselves into the 21st Century....
12. anonymous
so the ban will still stay as all mobiles have built in cameras
13. anonymous
I have recently attended one hospital where they had an open policy on mobiles and another two in Wales that had a total ban in place. Such are my feelings about it that I now put my mobile on 'Meeting' but leave it on. Communication is important to patients who do not want to be hospitalised in the first place. Stuff the lot of them!