Wifi in hospital

[Kezzie200]

My Mum's received a cancer diagnosis today and is soon to have surgery and a weeks stay in hospital. She can only have one named visitor. However she owns an ipad which she uses to regularly facetime, and a phone she uses to WhatsApp.

Does anyone know what wifi facilities hospitals offer now for patients and how they are accessed? Is there anything we can do before she goes in to get things in place.

Many thanks

You need to check with the individual hospital. I believe its fairly standard free now however I wouldn't like to tell you duff information.

Most hospitals have free NHS WiFi. Of course, the speed varies but generally it’s quite good.

Also wanted to say I’m so sorry about your mother’s diagnosis. I hope the surgery goes well and she makes a speedy recovery, @Kezzie200

My hospital has free public WiFi, you can't really stream or download high volume of stuff on it,.but it let's pts face Time or WhatsApp call people.

So sorry to hear about your mum's diagnosis, wishing her every success with treatment. All the hospitals DH has been in recently have had free public wifi that he could use, it was just a matter of clicking on the link that came up on his phone (in the last one someone must've helped him because he'd had a major stroke and was in no place to do it himself).

And it's just labelled as that for us PUBLIC if she looks at that for connection.

Sorry to hear about your mum's diagnosis. I'm currently in hospital with DD. There is free NHS Wi-Fi and we've been able to stream films and TV programmes no problem.

My mum used to FaceTime me from hospital last year when no one at all was allowed in. At 82, tech wasn’t really her strength but she had got really good at a few specific things, including FaceTime, messenger and her audio books. The 4 weeks she was in are some of the toughest I’ve ever been through and being in contact helped so much.

Two things really helped. One, having a reeealy long charging cable. Mums was 10 feet long! The charging points aren’t always near enough when you consider the design of the beds. The second was downloading BorrowBox. Access to free audio books and ebooks if you have a local library membership. Kept her entertained as she wasnt one for tv.
I’m sorry to hear your mums news and I hope her treatment goes well. X

Hi OP, sorry to hear about your mum. Totally agree about the long cable for charging that a PP mentioned, very helpful in hospital. You may also want to consider a plug with USB slots if she has anything else she may need charging while in there. If you do get one, get it with the USB slots on the bottom in case there are any big plugs that need using that block them (I speak from experience!)

If you are very worried about the WiFi you could perhaps get her a dongle? Haven’t used one for years but they helped us when we had no internet at home when we moved house.

Hope her op goes well.

www.amazon.co.uk/MFi-Certified-iPhone-Charger-Lightning-Charging-Black/dp/B08K4FFZ9J/ref=mp_s_a_1_1_sspa?psc=1&crid=SZLR1YIQFRKD&keywords=iphone+7+plus+charger+cable+3m&sprefix=iphone+7+plus+charge%2Caps%2C325&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUEyUFhVUkVPTlZTTFA0JmVuY3J5cHRlZElkPUExMDIyOTQyMUhOU0VHVzVEWU81ViZlbmNyeXB0ZWRBZElkPUEwMzIwNzg4MTI3SFFUUjc1SlVLTSZ3aWRnZXROYW1lPXNwX3Bob25lX3NlYXJjaF9hdGYmYWN0aW9uPWNsaWNrUmVkaXJlY3QmZG9Ob3RMb2dDbGljaz10cnVl&tag=mumsnetforu03-21&qid=1643420123&sr=8-1-spons

www.amazon.co.uk/Charger-Poukey-Adaptor-Extension-Samsung-White/dp/B09H4CSGYV/ref=mp_s_a_1_12?crid=10DUAWCBZBR8C&keywords=plug+with+usb+ports+uk&sprefix=plug+with+%2Caps%2C490&tag=mumsnetforu03-21&qid=1643420166&sr=8-12

Thank you. Feel like a truck has hit me.

I will arrange for these. Such helpful tips. Thanks.

I spent a week in hospital and really wished I’d packed headphones. For listening to audiobooks etc but also to shut out Doris who fiddled with sweetie wrappers all night! And her relatives during the day who wondered why she didn’t have much appetite.

Absolutely agree re long charging cables.

Tea bags because the tea was stewed in big teapots, but you could ask for hot water.

Sorry to hear this. Hope the surgery goes well.

Many hospitals have guest wifi. I remember the days you had to turn mobiles off in hospitals, but that’s not needed anymore. You can have your phones on and take calls in wards. Don’t forget the charger and plug!

I also suggest taking your own pillow. Use a brightly coloured pillow case so the staff know it’s not a public pillow!

Thanks everyone. Have packed a few of these to give to her to take in with her.

I was in hospital for 3 months last year. I had an iPad and the free Wi-Fi was enough to constantly stream to on my iPad. Being able to watch TV was almost literally a lifesaver.

One piece of advice though. Get an extra long charger cable. I had a 2m cable and it was barely long enough.

One of those power packs, spare headphones, 3m cable are a good idea. Also highly recommend audible if she doesn't already have it, free first month then £7.99 for which you can get any one book - but lots of free content for subscribers in addition.

My mum is going in for an operation next week and as well as the long cable someone has suggested to her taking a clothes peg so she can peg the wire to the bed when not using it to save having to bend and find the wire post op.

Maybe a fleece blanket from home for a bit if comfort, oh and lip balm. I hope everything ok.