Hospital Radio: Not just for geriatrics

Let’s get one thing straight — hospital radio isn’t just for old people.

Somewhere along the line, people started thinking it was all Vera Lynn, tea in polystyrene cups, and presenters called Keith who’ve been there since 1974. (To be fair, Keith has only been with us a few years, and he’s a legend, so we’ll let him off)

Hospital radio has been quietly broadcasting for decades, and not just to the geriatric ward. It’s community radio at its purest — people giving their time to bring comfort, laughter, and the occasional dodgy song request to patients who might be feeling a bit rubbish.

But it’s not all “get well soon dedications” and Cliff Richard. Many hospital radio stations have proper studios, slick production, and presenters who know their TikTok’s from their Top of the Pops. In fact, some of the biggest names in broadcasting started exactly there — Chris Moyles, Ken Bruce, Scott Mills, Simon Mayo, and even Alan Dedicoat (the voice of the National Lottery) all cut their teeth spinning discs for hospital listeners.

So next time someone says, “hospital radio” and rolls their eyes, remind them it’s often the first place budding broadcasters get their start. And for patients, it’s sometimes the only friendly voice they’ll hear all day. It’s connection. It’s kindness. It’s free entertainment when you’ve just had your appendix out and can’t reach the remote.

The truth is that hospital radio has evolved. It’s podcasts, livestreams, request shows, and a community of volunteers of all ages — yes, even under 30. (They exist. They just don’t come out until after the evening shift.) So, if you’ve ever fancied being on the radio, or just want to do something genuinely good — get in touch with Torbay Hospital Radio. You don’t need to know how to cue up a record… just how to make someone smile.

We provide all sorts of shows, just to try and give plenty of variety along the way. Our presenters try their hand at anything (within reason). Obviously, there is a lot of music, but we all play all genres, from the 50’s right up to date and specialist shows. Scottish Tony for example spins two hours of funk and soul, it is his go to type and if you cannot listen live, you can catch up on our Mixcloud page.

We are not unusual in Torbay, there are over 250 hospital radio stations across the UK, almost all run entirely by volunteers and supported by the Hospital Broadcasting Association (HBA). Plymouth and Exeter have long established set ups. Many stations feature local presenters, community news, and request shows tailored to the hospital’s patients.

This hyperlocal approach fosters a sense of connection and comfort. We were  Founded in 1977, in a windowless room deep within Torbay Hospital. A year later, the League of Friends funded a move to a purpose-built studio—with windows, no less. 

In 2015, we launched online streaming, allowing 24/7 broadcasting to patients, staff, and the wider community. In fairness not a lot of our presenters are tech savvy in any way, just people like me who revel in it. But it is a good place to start if you love that sort of thing.

The technical side goes hand in hand with the output, one doesn’t work with the other. That’s not to say we do not ever have a technical hiccup, this is when the fun starts and our presenters meet it head on with heroic improvisation:  Something like “While we load the right song, here’s me humming the theme from Casualty…”

If you like writing you can always help with this column or put together our annual magazine, the new one is available at online.fliphtml5.com/hyivu/zlct/#p=1 if you want to see what we produce. Hospital radio isn’t old-fashioned. It’s timeless and full of variety.