Hospitals across region prepare to screen Queen's funeral for patients
Hospitals in the West Midlands will make arrangements to ensure patients are staff are able to watch the Queen's funeral on Monday, bosses have said.
After the death of Queen Elizabeth II on September 8, it was announced that a state funeral would be held at Westminster Abbey.
Hospital trusts say they have made preparations ahead of the day to allow staff and patients to watch the historic event.
While some trusts will screen the funeral from chapels and education centres, those less mobile patients will be able to watch on television screens and iPads on wards.
Group chief executive of Walsall Healthcare NHS Trust and the Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust, Professor David Loughton, said: “Monday’s state funeral for Her Majesty the Queen is an important moment in history and we appreciate that many of our patients in hospitals at The Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust and Walsall Healthcare NHS Trust will want to watch the ceremony.
“We have televisions available and iPads on wards and staff will support patients who want to use our free wi-fi for their own devices.”
The University Hospitals of North Midlands NHS Trust (UHNM), which runs Royal Stoke Hospital in Stoke-on-Trent and County Hospital in Stafford, says it has also made arrangements to ensure staff and patients can watch the event.
A spokesman from the trust said: “UHNM Chaplaincy will broadcast the Queen’s funeral service in the Royal Stoke chapel, Monday at 11am.
"During the day if staff and families would like to, they are welcome to light a candle and have a time of reflection at the Pilgrim Chapel at County Hospital and at the Pastoral Centre at Royal Stoke.
"In addition to this, we offer free wi-fi and TV to all patients and staff both on trust and personal devices, which is funded by UHNM Charity.”
Sandwell and West Birmingham Hospitals NHS Trust said it will be screening the funeral for patients and staff from its education centres.
The trust said, for patients who are not mobile, staff would help patients to view the funeral from devices on wards, such as iPads.
The televised proceedings of the Queen's state funeral are expected to smash all prior records and become the most watched live broadcast of all time.
More than half the world's population are expected to tune in next week to watch the final chapter of the Second Elizabethan Age draw to a poignant close as the Queen is laid to rest at Westminster Abbey.
Live coverage of the historic event will air on BBC One, BBC News and iPlayer throughout the day, while ITV will air the event live on its main channel.
Officials expect Westminster Hall will see almost half a million visitors coming to view the Queen's coffin in person, ahead of the state funeral on Monday.
