THE cost of watching television in Worcestershire's hospitals has risen more than 70 per cent for pensioners.

Over 65s used to pay a special rate of £1.70 a day to access the TV and phone provided by Patientline at their bedside - but the company has scrapped the rate meaning pensioners now have to pay the full £2.90 a day cost.

Those in for a long stay also face rises of 30p a day as the discounted' rate will be £2.

The Worcester News reported in April how Patientline increased the cost of outgoing calls from bedside phones from 10p a minute to 26p a minute. At the time, Patientline said the cost of the complete bedside package had been reduced from £3.50 to £2.90, but it did not reveal it had scrapped the discounted rate for pensioners.

Chairman of Worcestershire Pensioners Group Ron Chambers condemned the rising costs.

"I think it's disgusting to be quite honest, I really do," he said.

"You get some people who have been through two world wars, or at least one, and they have had to go through all sorts and they are just being treated like nobodys.

"I think the way they (pensioners) are being treated is scandalous. If people haven't got anybody to visit, their only contact is through the television."

He said he would like to see Patientline suspend all costs to pensioners.

"I know quite a few elderly people that actually don't move outside the four walls of their homes," he said. "Television is all they have so to go to hospital and start paying for it, I think, is disgusting."

A spokesman for Patientline said: "Patientline simplified its service tariffs and ran a communications programme to make activation of bedside services easier to understand. The new flat rate for 24 hours television is £2.90 which includes free internet and games.

However, Mr Chambers said elderly patients would not use such facilities.

"I cannot see pensioners over the age of 70 or 80 going on the internet or playing games on their televisions," he said.

"They just want a bit of television."