News

Extract from a response letter dated 04 May 2007 from:

Howard Jones East Kent Hospitals Trust Director of Facilities
William Harvey Hospital
Willesborough
Ashford Kent TN24 0LZ
to
Mrs Maureen Moore ChairmanEast Kent Hospitals Patient and Public Involvement Forum
Kent and Medway Networks Ltd.,
Unit 24 Folkestone Enterprise Centre
Shearway Road
Folkestone Kent CT19 4RH

“MOBILE PHONES

There was advice from the Department of Health which suggested that the use of mobile phones is not the issue it once was. We are certainly relaxed about them being used in public spaces around the hospitals but our policy is that they are not used in ward areas for the following reasons:

• They may interfere with sensitive electronic equipment but are more likely to cause annoyance to patients through the ring tones employed

• The inbuilt cameras, in many phones, could compromise patient privacy and dignity.

There is also a ban in areas such as ITU, NICU and SCBU and near the Theatre areas as the electronic equipment here is both more complex and critical in nature.

I hope this provides the reassurance you were seeking.

Yours sincerely

Howard Jones
Director of Facilities”