A HEALTH watchdog has accused a company that provides TV to patients in East Lancashire hospitals of ‘profiteering’ and urged bosses to reduce the charges.

Hospedia, which took over Patientline in 2008, runs the TV, phone and internet system for patients at Royal Blackburn Hospital and Burnley General Hospital.

The company recently launched a 24-hour £10 bundle, which provides patients with more than 25 TV channels, ‘on-demand’ and ‘catch-up’ services, a range of around 40 films, as well as unlimited internet access and calls to UK landlines.

According to a spokesman for Hospedia, the company made a ‘small profit’ last year for the first time in 15 years.

In light of that announcement, Blackburn with Darwen’s health watchdog, Coun Ron O’Keeffe said it should lower its charges.

He said: “There is no doubt about it, when people are in hospital they want to recover as quickly as possible, whether it is from an operation or sickness.

“I think TV, when it is on, can help people to recover. Staring at four blank walls isn’t good for recovery at all and this sort of thing does help.

“This company has got to consider its costing, and if it is making a profit, it should be made to reduce its charges.

“It should consider the fact that many of the patients or relatives who pay for this come from low income familes - our area is one of the most deprived in the UK.

“When people are recovering they should not have the added burden of having to worry about whether or not they can afford to watch TV or a film.

“If this company is profiteering from sickness - and I think it is - then that is wrong.”

Hospedia offers a two-hour bundle for £2.50 and a 12-hour £5 bundle, which include a reduced number of TV channels.

People can also buy a 24-hour value bundle for £7.50, which provides more than 25 TV channels, unlimited internet access, a selection of films.

All bundles include unlimited calls to UK landlines.

Longer-term packages for three, five, 10 and 20 days are also available.

A Hospedia spokesman said: “We give very serious consideration to the packages we offer and customer feedback has been the driving force in selecting the durations and options we currently have available. We continually trial different models in order to find the best value for money for patients.

“Last month over 13,000 patients completed our customer survey, with 78 per cent reporting that they were satisfied with the services – when we took over Patientline that figure was nearer 30 per cent, so we’ve made a big improvement with more to go.”