Radio Sunderland for Hospitals is a charitable organisation that broadcasts specialist and personalised programmes to the patients of the Sunderland Royal Hospital & St Benedict's Hospice.

It is our aim to:

• Provide relief from the anxiety of a hospital stay
• Relax the Listener
• Aid convalescence
• Be the patients personal beside friend
  

The need for Hospital Radio? - It has a special function - We are able to broadcast the whole of every football match. Patients are guaranteed a mention usually along with there favourite piece of music if it can be found in our library, which is extensive but not exhaustive. Also we can broadcast programs which have special information for the patients, or of extra special importance to individual patients. The effect of a couple of record requests can have on the mundane routine of a ward has to be experienced.

Click Here for the History of Radio Sunderland

How do we Broadcast? We have a studio equipped with CD and Mini Disc players, cassette machines, record decks, etc. and land lines link to the Stadium of Light. All the inputs are carefully mixed before being broadcast using high quality direct link telephone lines which feed into the hospital network. The signal is received by an amplifier then fed along with other radio programmes to individual control boxes by the patients bedside.

When do we Broadcast? - Since August 1998 Radio Sunderland has been broadcasting 24 hours a day. When the studio is unmanned, a computer automation system looks after the output. We provide a variety of programmes including patients record requests (we can guarantee to give our listeners a mention during the request programme), live commentaries of Sunderland AFC football games, factual and magazine programmes, drama, sport and news.

Who runs Radio Sunderland? - The association is very democratic - electing members to hold a specific office - Chairman; Secretary; Technical Officer; Fund Raising Officer; Training Officer & Request Co-ordinator. These officers meet at least monthly and form the management committee.

Staffing of the station. - The station is run entirely by volunteers, no one is paid, for the services they give. One of the problems we have is in finding people with the right capabilities with free time to offer.

Volunteers and why we need funds? - We do not have any control of the maintenance of bedside equipment - or the distribution system. But we do have to finance the running of the studio and the purchase of the studio equipment. Check here for fundraising events.

The Future - and the alternative media. Radio has come along way since we started broadcasting in the early 50's. There are now many sources of bedside entertainment for hospital patients, including local independent and BBC radio, terrestrial & satelitte television. So although we are amateurs we must strive to provide the best - possible personal service.

Every organistaion needs rules and regulations and someone holding the reigns. At Radio Sunderland this is the job of the committee who follow a Constitution and a set of Standing Orders. Committee posts are are chosen at the AGM each October by a vote of all the eligable members.

There are six committee posts:

Chairman: Responsible for liaosn with the health authority, chairing meetings

Secretary: Writes letters, takes minutes, does the paperwork

Public Relations Officer & Fundraising Officer: A combined post as it was felt that the two positions go hand in hand. Responsible for dealing with outside media and of course for organising the fundraising to keep us on the air.

Technical Officer: Looks after the maintenence of the studio and its equipment. Repairs faulty euqipment, makes recommendations on new equipment.

Training Officer: Responsible for the studio based training, whether it be presentation, technical operation or library work.

Request Co-ordinator: Organisises a Request Collection Rota, ensuring that each nights broadcast has requests for the request programme ‘Ward Call’. Also responsible for ‘ward etiquette’ training at the hospital.

Programme Controller: Devises a programme schedule and organises staff to fill it. Assess new programme ideas and audtions rehearsal recordings.