Mental health service users and visitors at a number of inpatient wards will now benefit from a new scheme to provide a free Wi-Fi connection.
Pennine Care NHS Foundation Trust has rolled out guest internet on 25 of its inpatient wards, with plans in place for the roll out to the remaining wards.
Following guidance from the CQC, the roll out is the first phase of a project to bring free internet to service users and visitors across the whole of Pennine Care.
Once rolled out, these groups will be able to access secure Wi-Fi from their phone or tablets. This aims to improve the overall patient experience, by ensuring they have regular contact with family and friends.
It will also support service users’ recovery journeys, by allowing easy access to education, employment, housing and social activities, where appropriate.
To ensure safety, the Wi-Fi connection is designed to include protection against inappropriate content; with monitoring software, password-required access and the option for nominated admins to revoke access at any time.
Jessica Lever is Project Support Facilitator with Pennine Care’s Department of Information, Communication and Technology (ICT). She said: “The guest Wi-Fi is another step towards demonstrating our commitment to improving patient experience and patient care.
“Patients staying on the wards can benefit from improved contact with their loved ones and also the chance to learn new skills and knowledge to help them achieve their full potential.