Mobile phones sensitively used can help patients maintain that vital link with the outside world

With the permission of the nursing staff and other patients and visitors in the ward area, the chance to ring a close friend on a hospital or mobile phone can truly lift the spirits of a patient.

If speech is limited, it sometimes helps to use the 'loudspeaker' facility on the mobile phone so that the carer can guide the phone call as appropriate.

The opportunity to engage with someone from the world outside the hospital or care home can transform a patient's mood. It is essential to 'brief' the recipient of the call beforehand so that they understand and accommodate the limitations of the patient.

Jill