The benefit hospital radio provides to both patients and staff is well recognised by the Department of Health and local
hospitals encourage and support most stations in some form.
Over 90% of the country's hospital population have the benefit of hospital broadcasting. This means that over 18 million
people can hear specially produced local programmes every year.
Over 300 individual broadcasting stations provide these programmes, each to its own local hospital(s) usually at times
when there is less ward activity or other distractions to help relieve the boredom and isolation a period of hospitalization
causes.
Hospital Radio has been around in the UK for the best part of the 20th Century and into the 21st, and the service
it provides today is just as much needed and appreciated as it was when it was first introduced in the 1920's. Although advances
in technology have seen changes in the way programmes are broadcast most services use a closed circuit system utilizing the
headphones beside each patient's bed. Some stations broadcast on low power AM or FM transmitters. Whatever the means of distributing
the programme, the service is exclusively for the patients in that station's locality.
Hospital Radio provides a unique service not available from any other source. The programmes are carefully produced to
reflect the needs of the audience. They ensure that the patient is kept in touch with their local community, family and friends
in a way no other broadcast medium can attain. Hospital Radio stations raise their own funds to provide the service they offer
from within the local community they serve. Whilst some help may be forthcoming from local NHS Trusts the group will have
to work to raise funds in order to maintain the service they provide.
Chippenham Hospital Radio produces live broadcasts to the Chippenham Community Hospital. Funds are being sought to extend
the service to cover the Casualty department and the restaurant. Eventually we hope to spread our coverage to the "cottage
hospitals" in the surrounding area.
