From friend at the bedside to health adviser to all: how hospital radio’s ambitions are expanding

Abstract

Hospital radio is evolving from offering companionship on the wards to bringing health and wellbeing broadcasting to the community, finds Richard Hurley General practitioner (GP) Victoria Wilson presents a weekly live show on Hospital Radio Exeter after she visits the wards to take music requests and dedications. “It’s a nice way to interact with patients. Some patients want to chat but then don’t request a song,” she tells The BMJ . “But if they've enjoyed the conversation then that's equally as worthwhile.” Wilson explains: “Patients often have magazines and books, but when they’re feeling poorly, listening to something in bed, eyes closed, might take less energy yet it's still entertaining or distracting.” The Hospital Broadcasting Association supports 170 such UK stations, mostly charities, and several thousand volunteers like Wilson with the aim “to aid patient recovery and promote health and wellbeing to all listeners.” Many patients still access the radio through hospital bedside units: on average 1231 a day for 6.2 hours each across the UK in November 2024. But broken bedside units are often not replaced, and increasingly hospital radio is available on FM and DAB (digital audio broadcast), online, and through apps and smart speakers. Some patients may not have, or may struggle to use, their own device, and stations may also fundraise to distribute radios to wards. Many stations run on NHS sites—often in cupboards, given the high demand for space. Increasingly, however, stations have studios in the community, and some broadcast to GP surgeries, care homes, and the wider public, and with increasing programming …