Circa Early 1974

Hospitals plead for more time 'on air'

A HOSPITAL broadcasting service is pleading for extra time 'on the air' as it receives so many requests from patients that it is able to cope with only about half of them

Hull and East Riding Hospital Broadcasting Services give programmes twice a week to six hospitals in the area on Thursdays and Sundays.

Between 250 and 300 requests a week are received by the service at its Wellington Street, Hull, studio said Mr. Ken Fulstow the secretary, of Lowfield Road, Anlaby.

'We just cannot fit that number in in the two and a half hours broadcasting allowed to us each week

'We have been trying to get extra time for seven years but without success'.

Mr G Wood chairman of the services said in his annual report for the last year: 'Our broadcasting schedule remains unfortunately, at two and a half hours per week and we are unable to put into effect any of our projected programmes'.

The latter includes special events which are taking place in the city, including concerts at the City Hall

Mr Fulstow's wife, who acts as a disc jockey, said the programmes go out from the studio through the corporation telephone line and then through the hospitals' rediffusion lines

'Our negotiations with the telephones department have been going on for some time' she said.

'Now we have got two councillors. Coun. F. E. Holmes and Coun. F. H. Lewis trying to find out what difficulties have to be overcome and why the delay. 'Visiting Time' is another pf the projects in which the service participates in conjunction with the local radio station. This weekly programme for hospitals put out by the local radio on Fridays.

Members of the HBS collect material from patients and their relatives and the local radio produces the programme from the material supplied.

The HBS studio has recently undergone a transformation. The walls have been audio tiled, record library shelves have been built and HBS are so proud of their set up that visitors are welcome at the studio.

'We think it is worth seeing.' said Mr Wood.