Use of mobile phones in hospitals

doi:10.1136/bmj.38995.599769.80

BMJ 2006;333:767-768 (14 October), doi:10.1136/bmj.38995.599769.80

Editorial

Use of mobile phones in hospitals

New guidelines are less restrictive but still overcautious

The first 150 words of the full text of this article appear below.

Mobile phones are widely used, but their use is still restrictedin certain places including petrol stations, some areas in hospitals,and aircraft. Restrictions have been justified on the groundsof public safety, but the reasons behind these restrictionsare often unclear. In hospitals, patients, visitors, and staffroutinely breeze through wards with their mobile phones switchedon. As yet we have no evidence that this behaviour has seriousconsequences for patients. The lack of such evidence has encouragedthe Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA)to advise more selective restrictions on the use of mobile phonesin hospitals (box).¹ While welcoming this relaxation, we wonderwhy it has taken so long to happen and why it has the feelingof extracting a generous concession. The liberalisation sitsalongside proposed new restrictions, such as a ban on the useof camera phones in patient areas. The regulations also . . . [Full text of this article]

Stuart W G Derbyshire, senior lecturer in psychology

University of Birmingham, School of Psychology, Birmingham BI5 2TT
(s.w.derbyshire@bham.ac.uk)

Adam Burgess, senior lecturer in sociology

University of Kent, School of Social Policy, Sociology, and Social Research, Canterbury CT2 7NF

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