Medical telecoms provider Hospedia, which has an ongoing contract with East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust, has come under fire for continuing to use ‘070’ numbers, costing up to 50p per minute, after promising two years ago to scrap the system.

The minimum rate for its TV package was also doubled from £2.50 to £5 last year, an investigation by the Press Association found.

Patients leaders in East Lancashire and elsewhere have condemned the practice by the company, which amassed revenues of £21.2million last year.

Russ McLean, chairman of East Lancashire Patients Voice, said: “In this day and age it’s absolutely appalling, when you consider how much technology has moved on, that these charges continue to be imposed on what is a captive audience.

“The firm is just looking to maximise its profits at the expense of patients.

"Its model seems to be based on people being in hospital for three or four days, when their stays could be for a number of weeks, costing them hundreds of pounds.”

The introduction of free wifi in public areas at the hospital two years ago also provoked a row with patients, as they were forced to sign up with Hospedia, due to NHS contracting restrictions.

One of the chief concerns with the phone service has been a recorded message, lasting around 70 seconds, which occurs before calls are even connected. Further pledges to allow the lengthy message to be skipped have also been overlooked.

Telecoms regulator Ofcom recommended the charges be scaled down as long ago as 2006, after conducting its own study.

Liz McAnulty, Patients Association chairman, said: “Phone contact can be hugely valuable and reassuring to people in hospital and their loved ones at home.

“Any facility to provide this must offer a high quality service at a fair price, but Hospedia’s service appears to fail these tests badly.

“It is unacceptable for people calling someone in hospital to be charged heavily for 70 seconds before they even get through.”

A Hospedia spokesman said: “Ofcom granted us use of the 070 number range to enable every bedside unit to have its own unique telephone number so that friends and relatives can call patients directly, alleviating pressure on nursing staff having to field calls.

“The patient’s bedside phone number is unique to each patient’s account and can follow them around the hospital if they are moved bed, a frequent occurrence.”

Free TV was available on children's wards and five channels were free on adult wards from 8am to noon, he added.