The Department of Health has urged NHS trusts and retailers to ensure that patients and their families are not being “ripped off”, after The Times revealed that customers are routinely charged more in hospital shops than the high street.
Items in Marks & Spencer and WH Smith were significantly more expensive in the chains’ hospital outlets. Campaigners and charities have accused the retailers of profiteering.
A Department of Health spokesman said: “These allegations are deeply concerning. Patients and their families shouldn’t be ripped off and don’t need the added stress of overpriced goods in hospitals. NHS organisations set their own contractual arrangements and we expect them to work with retailers and local communities to make sure prices are fair and appropriate.”
Retailers say the price increases are the result of higher operational costs of hospital stores, whose rates are set either by the NHS Trusts directly, or by private third-party companies.
Paula Sherriff, Labour MP for Dewsbury and Mirfield who sits on the health select committee, said she will meet Stephen Clarke, the chief executive of WH Smith, to demand evidence of these higher operational costs.
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She said: “If that is the reason they are giving, I want to see clear evidence of these higher operational costs. I’m not going to accept they can’t tell us because it’s commercially sensitive. I’m confident that ultimately the increases are driven by profit, and that has largely gone unchallenged until now.”
Government guidelines on the management of retail facilities state that hospital trusts “should develop the full potential of their estates for the benefit of frontline patient care, staff and —visitors.
“In addition, a foundation trust or trust must be assured that the proper returns are being received, whether this is purely financial or for other specific benefits or a combination of these options. Failure to negotiate the best deal will result in losing out on potential income and/or benefits.”
Marks & Spencer has insisted that its higher prices are due to increased running costs, such as longer opening hours. WH Smith said comparisons were unfair because promotions occur in different stores at different times.
The Times survey of ten hospitals across the UK found flowers costing £17 in Marks & Spencer at Falkirk hospital and £15 in the town. One “get well soon” card at WH Smith in Bristol Royal Infirmary had a 90 per cent mark-up.
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Roger Goss, of Patient Concern, said: “Last week we hear about them ripping off people at airports. Now, much worse, they’re ripping off people in hospitals, often at the most distressing time of their lives. It is ghastly. If you’re not actually sick already, this sure as heck will make you sick.”
Research by Bliss, a charity supporting families of sick and premature babies, found that parents with babies in neonatal care spent £53 on average on food and drink from hospital franchises and canteens, and £32 on parking, for every week their baby is in hospital.
Helen Kirrane, campaigns and policy manager at the charity, said: “Having your baby in neonatal care is an extremely stressful time and parents should not have the added worry of the expense of food and drinks. It is unacceptable that they are being charged inflated prices by these retailers on top of all of the other costs and stresses they face.
“Parents must be supported to focus on caring for their baby, and not be concerned about whether they can afford to be by their baby’s side.”
This article was amended on August 29, 2015, to correct the price of the M&S flowers.