Hospitals charging children for free to air TV

FIRST ON 7: Adelaide’s Women’s and Children’s Hospital has been accused of ripping off patients by charging them to watch some free to air television channels in their room.

Linda Morgan’s 11-year-old daughter has had a spinal fusion and cannot stand, but when she turned on the television to keep her daughter occupied, she got a rude shock.

While the main free to air channels are complimentary, a package with the rest, including the popular ABC Kids channel, costs $12.50 a day.

“That adds up after a week you know, we can’t … really afford that,” she told 7News.

“If you’re trying to entertain your child and they love watching a bit of ABC 3, and it forms part of their day with most kids, especially when they’re sick in bed.”

The Telstra bedside system has been rolled out at 12 South Australian hospitals.

While children receive some channels for free, adult patients have to pay for even the main free-to-air channels.

SA Health said public hospitals have always charged for televisions and pointed out that where patients used to pay to have one physically wheeled into their room, they now get a state-of-the-art entertainment system that is consistent right across the state.

But hearing impaired patients are also tuning out, as mother Danielle Hooper found out.

“My daughter had an operation for a Cochlear implant in August last year, she’s profoundly deaf, just an overnight visit, organized a TV to watch it, no subtitles for any of the deaf people that are here,” she told 7News.