Blog Post

The signal solution that NHS hospitals & patients are crying out for

Mark's Remarks
January 4, 2021

How to solve the serious signal problem facing the NHS in 2021

In April 2020, the NHS announced its plans to use digital technology to transform the face of health and social care in the UK.

Nationwide, the health service is taking a “mobile first” approach, where practitioners and operators use smartphones and tablets to access patient information quickly and easily.

It’s an important step towards reducing treatment and waiting times, but there is a bit of a problem.

Mobile connectivity in hospitals often leaves a lot to be desired, with modern building materials causing poor signal. Many of the materials used significantly impact and even completely block mobile signal from reaching the rooms inside, which can throw up all sorts of issues for staff and patients alike.

Patients need better signal in hospital

It’s one thing needing better signal to enhance the service that the NHS provides, but in the midst of the pandemic, it means something altogether more important for patients too.

While families aren’t allowed to visit their ailing loved ones under the current Covid restrictions, there’s never been a greater need for reliable mobile signal in hospitals. Recent research by O2 revealed that their customers have made 25% more calls a day with the length of calls increasing by 30% since the start of the pandemic. But if you end up in a hospital with poor mobile signal, you’re going to have a problem.

Since the outbreak of Coronavirus, NHS trusts across the UK have been encouraging patients to use their mobile phones as often as possible, to maintain contact with their loved ones. The NHS website clearly states, “We want you to use your mobile device in hospital, it’s an important way of keeping in touch and making use of online resources like the NHS app.”

Hospital staff need better connection too

As DECT phones and pagers begin to be phased out in favour of newer technologies, mobile signal is growing increasingly crucial in the delivery of in-hospital and staff communications.

Not only will NHS staff face more pressure to stay connected as operations become more digital, but they’re under enormous strain right now to facilitate communication between patients and their families at home too.

Given better connectivity in hospitals, there would be less burden on staff, and more time for them to do what they do best. And that’s just a practical factor in their day-to-day too. Consider the added emotional stress that the NHS’s amazing practitioners are under every day and you can see how one less thing to think about could make a world of difference.

Good Wi-Fi, bad mobile signal

To aid the new reliance on digital services, Wi-Fi solutions have been rolled out in more than 95% of all hospitals and clinics. But nothing has been done to solve the signal problem so far, which causes frequent problems since Wi-Fi calling can be so unreliable.

So how can they close the not-spot gaps and create consistently dependable infrastructure to support the digital movement?

If you’re looking for a cost effective solution for your hospital, look no further than a CEL-FI Nextivity mobile signal booster. We can guarantee you a short lead time and a solution that’s 100% legal, giving you reliable mobile signal in every nook and cranny of your hospital.

How does a Nextivity CEL-FI mobile signal booster solve the problem for hospitals?

We’ll come to your hospital to conduct a full site survey and provide you with our proposals to turn your signal problem around. We use Nextivity CEL-FI technology to ensure a great connection between your coverage unit and a booster that we’ll place in an area where mobile signal is super strong.

The boosters enhance signals by as much as 1000 times, over limited distances to avoid interference. They qualify each channel individually too, so that results are focused, and the infrastructure behind the products is all network safe.

CEL-FI boosters are classed as static mobile phone repeaters for indoor use and are ideal for office buildings with poor signal for many reasons:

- They’re 100% legal to use, fully compliant with Ofcom licensing laws

- They’re unconditionally network safe

- They’re accepted by UK regulators

- They provide high quality signal in areas where coverage is poor or non-existent

- They’re compatible with every mobile network

- And our team of professional installers will ensure that the equipment is installed neatly and discretely, leaving very little equipment/cables on view

If you’d like to talk to someone here about finding a reliable mobile signal solution for your hospital, please give us a call on 020 3823 7365

Mark Rose

As co-founder of Signal Solutions, Mark's signal boosting knowledge is second to none. Mark has worked on a large number of signal projects over the years, from straightforward single-booster projects, to large scale installations across multiple buildings.

Blog Categories