Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment has been made of the potential impact on in-patients of charging in hospitals for TV, WiFi and telephone services.

No assessment has been made centrally of the potential impact on in-patients of charging in hospitals for television, WiFi, and telephone services.

National Health Service providers are locally responsible for the provision of bedside television and similar services, including the charges for them. If patients do not wish to or are unable to afford the cost of the bedside television, they should still be able to watch the free to view television via their own devices and local hospital Wi-Fi, or in the hospital day rooms or communal areas.