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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

AIBU that there should be more support or access to things in children’s ward.

78 replies

myreason25 · 30/09/2023 15:07

I know a lot of people will say that it is not a hotel and medical intervention is the only important factor but many don’t live in the situation where they spend more time in hospital than at home.

I have a dc who spends months at a time in a hospital cubicle. She spends less than 40 percent of her time at school.

for years to watch the movies on the telly it’s been 6.50 ish a day.
but the Wi-Fi was free.
this year they have started charging 5.50 a day for Wi-Fi. Using data isn’t an option as the signal is not the best at all.
to access her school classes / zoom / to see her friends at school, access to Google classroom is now costing us 5.50 a day
parking 10.00 a day.
food a ridiculous amount a day.
1 month in hospital is
400 odd a month in just being able to access school work and parking.
we can’t do it anymore and she is now so isolated / bored / lonely and frustrated
it doesn’t help their recovery at all and there is 0 holistic care anymore.

OP posts:
StopProcrastinatingGerald · 30/09/2023 15:08

That is awful and you should write to your MP and your local newspaper.

littleducks · 30/09/2023 15:10

That sucks, can you contact PALs and feedback? Maybe they need to start charging something if budgets stopped adding up but can do exemptions for long stay patients especially to access schooling.

Sirzy · 30/09/2023 15:10

Have you asked the hospital about discounted free parking as your long stay? Whenever DS has been an inpatient before getting his blue badge we have been given free parking.

but your not being unreasonable at all

Daffodildilys · 30/09/2023 15:11

Can you buy a weekly parking ticket? It’s often much cheaper than daily parking.

Hotsausage2 · 30/09/2023 15:12

Wow, we have free tv and free Wi-Fi. Also discounted parking.
I thought is was the same in all Paeds areas

Alargeoneplease89 · 30/09/2023 15:12

Does your child get dla to help with the cost of having a disability?

Don't the hospital offer help? Tv used to be free on children's wards or there are children's charities that help with the cost of long stays.

As an adult I've had long stays and bought a dongle stick with data as its much cheaper.

Hospitals normally subsidise your parking if you are staying quite awhile.

Sirzy · 30/09/2023 15:14

Hotsausage2 · 30/09/2023 15:12

Wow, we have free tv and free Wi-Fi. Also discounted parking.
I thought is was the same in all Paeds areas

It seems to all be down to hospital policy. Both hospitals we use have free wifi but one only has free TV between 7am and 7pm. In both the chances of getting a working tv is slim anyway!

PuttingDownRoots · 30/09/2023 15:16

YANBU. Things like WiFi make a massive difference to all long term patients, not just children... it became free at our local hospital during Covid and it really helped my mother being able to have contact with people when she was in for a few weeks last year.

MintJulia · 30/09/2023 15:17

The hospital should help with parking if you are a daily visitor. Have you asked the administrator?

Our hospital's wifi is free for children/schoolwork, but charged at a fairly low rate for anyone else.

Food and drink, I just used to take our own in a cool bag for visitors.

Original poster
myreason25 · 30/09/2023 15:17

Yeh so there is basics channels free from 10-5 pm I think but nothing appropriate for age.
to fully access the tv / kids channels and movies you have to pay.
Wi-Fi was free right until last year.

OP posts:
Toddlerteaplease · 30/09/2023 15:18

We have discount vouchers for parking. We can also give you a voucher for a meal In the canteen. There is also a fund for parents in dire straits we can access if needed. WiFI is free.

PizzaPizzaYumYum · 30/09/2023 15:18

They should be able to do stg like free WiFi on children's wards 9am - 3pm (ie school hours) , then discounted for the rest of the day. It's not for entertainment, it's for school work and maintaining friendships, something which are of much more day to day importance for child patients than adults when their friends will change quickly, have fewer options for keeping in touch etc. Also for your DC's long term ability to settle back into education by at least being able to maintain awareness of what's covered in lessons. Having to pay to access school work could affect her right to an education.

Anewuser · 30/09/2023 15:19

Totally agree, it sucks.

Always cost a fortune. We were low income so could get parking back but food costs alone were extortionate.

Our son was happy watching his iPad and the TV was always at a tricky angle for him anyway.

Guess most people accept it for a day/week or two but it’s the frequent ‘visitors’ that really suffer.

Try your MP, see what they can suggest.

Ignore the ‘that’s what your DLA is for’. Ours was spent a dozen times over.

I’d say get well soon but it sounds like you’re in for the long haul.

Wishitsnows · 30/09/2023 15:20

That’s terrible they are charging for Wi-Fi. Do you know what provider it is that you access? You could also try contacting them if it BT or Virgin. They have programmes to support people in these situations

Theredjellybean · 30/09/2023 15:20

I agree.
I have spent months in hospital with sick teenager and it costs a fortune.
But i thought all paeds wards had free tv ?
and she should be having hospital schooling, my dsd went to hospital school for few hours every day, linked in with her home school who provided support to schoolt eahcers.

Toddlerteaplease · 30/09/2023 15:22

I did agency at a DGH once and was very unimpressed to discover that parents weren't allowed hot drinks on the ward at all. I thought that was expensive and an awful rule.

Original poster
myreason25 · 30/09/2023 15:23

Yes so Hospital school has always been a good send for us but then covid struck then after everything re opened the school remained pretty non existent. They used to go for 2 hours of a morning and 2 hours in the afternoon
now you get around 10 minutes with a TA at the bedside.

OP posts:
Itisyourturntowashthebath · 30/09/2023 15:23

Have you asked the hospital schooling people to sort Wi-Fi?

SunL1ghter · 30/09/2023 15:26

I too h E spent weeks on paeds with my Dd over and again. We used to have a parking slip we showed at reception each time I left that cleared each day’s parking fees. I did have to ask though. Food was a nightmare as wasn’t always organised enough to make a packed lunch. They had a video library and portable tv.

SM4713 · 30/09/2023 15:26

food a ridiculous amount a day.

Surely her food is included in the stay? If your mean food for yourself, can't you pack sandwiches/cooler bag/drinks from home? If she has a chronic condition requiring such regular stays, have you asked about discounted/free parking. Is there a charity for her condition? How old is she?

Original poster
myreason25 · 30/09/2023 15:27

The hospital school wi fi can only be accessed from the hospital school room which is baffling because the kids no longer actually go there !
currently 2 teacher assistants a day
and a part time teacher who works 2 days a
week for around 65 beds that they now visit bedside at.

OP posts:
Original poster
myreason25 · 30/09/2023 15:29

I very rarely get home. There is no longer health care assistants, school etc to have time to get to go home to pick up sandwiches.

OP posts:
Sirzy · 30/09/2023 15:30

PizzaPizzaYumYum · 30/09/2023 15:18

They should be able to do stg like free WiFi on children's wards 9am - 3pm (ie school hours) , then discounted for the rest of the day. It's not for entertainment, it's for school work and maintaining friendships, something which are of much more day to day importance for child patients than adults when their friends will change quickly, have fewer options for keeping in touch etc. Also for your DC's long term ability to settle back into education by at least being able to maintain awareness of what's covered in lessons. Having to pay to access school work could affect her right to an education.

It’s for entertainment too. The days are long enough as it is and being able to access something mindless online can kill some of that time when you (patient or carer!) can’t focus on anything else!

Anewuser · 30/09/2023 15:41

Unfortunately not all parents get to go home while their child is in hospital. If we’d have left ours, he’d have died.