A £1MILLION bedside pay-per-view TV system and satellite channels are set to be offered to hospital patients in East Lancashire.

The system, which involves patients buying smart cards for TV and cinema services, is being offered by commercial company Patientline at no cost to Burnley Health Trust, which will decide whether to give the go-ahead to the scheme at Burnley General Hospital soon.

And patients at Queen's Park Hospital in Blackburn will shortly have the benefit of satellite television when Sky is introduced on the wards.

The core service at Burnley will offer radio, telephone and answer phone services and, in addition, there will be channels for hospital use - which could enable doctors to call up information on patients at their bedside. Patients currently have to rely on TVs in day rooms and in certain parts of their ward to watch their favourite programmes.

But the cost of the new scheme will be met by charges to patients for TV and pay-per-view and charges to patients for outgoing calls, which will be at least five per cent cheaper than BT payphone rates.

Family and friends calling patients will pay 50p per minute.

The company will also draw revenue for advertising and sponsorship.

The system has already been welcomed by Burnley Community Health Council, the patient watchdog group, after seeing a presentation at Oldham General Hospital.

They say patients will have a choice of pre-paid smart cards depending on the level of service they require.

Children will receive TV free and there will be discount rates for long-stay patients.

In addition, nursing staff will be able to authorise free TV to some patients at their discretion. Patientline will provide a totally managed service with an on-site team at the hospital.

Patients will be able to call up hospital information on screen and benefits to care staff includes reduced calls on the nursing station, extra safety following the removal of free standing televisions, cables and stands and the removal of the present wheelie phones.

The system will give the trust to broadcast educational/information videos direct to patients.

It is understood free TVs will still be available in parts of the hospital.

Community Health Council chairman Frank Clifford said the system was already up and running at St James Hospital, Leeds and at 30 other hospitals throughout the UK.

"There is a lot going for it and it would be rather nice to see it in Burnley."

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