Thursday 13 February 2025 is World Radio Day. In NHS Lothian we’re lucky to have several radio services across our sites.
These include Radio Grapevine which broadcasts for the patients in St John’s Hospital in Livingston, 24 hours a day with a variety of programmes including music, comedy, relaxation and feature shows. We also have Radio Lillipop, a favourite among both patients and staff at the Royal Hospital of Children and Young People, and runs every Monday and a Wednesday 6-8 in the evening.
In this article we’d like to spotlight the longest running of these services, by talking about red dot radio!
Red dot radio has been broadcasting to Edinburgh Hospitals for over 60 years. Starting as Forth Radio Network in 1962 from premises in Hanover Street, changing name to Edinburgh Hospital Broadcasting Service in 1974, moving to studios at the Royal Infirmary in Lauriston Place, then to portakabins at the Royal Victoria Hospital, to its current resting place on the 2nd floor of OPD at the Western General. At one time they served 16 hospitals in the area, but that has changed!
They provide a two-hour request show every night for patients in the Western and the Royal Infirmary on the bedside entertainment systems (programming was reduced during the pandemic and has yet to return to previous levels). Now online family and friends regularly participate as well. During lockdown this provided a link between patients and their loved ones.
Their record library has over 15,000 singles, 7,000 LPs as well as 5,000+ CDs so the music choice each night can be quite varied from heavy metal to opera!
The members visit the wards at the Western General each night before the show to help patients ‘tune-in’ and to find out what music they like. Last year over 7,000 requests were played – the most popular in 2024 ‘Sunshine on Leith’. For many years Frank Sinatra’s My Way was the patients favourite but that has been eclipsed by Sweet Caroline and Bohemian Rhapsody.
The service receives messages from patient’s family members on a regular basis showing their appreciation and even making requests. One patient’s family member recently wrote:
‘I wanted to thank all at red dot radio for all that you do. My mum spent a lot of time in hospital fighting cancer and you guys really kept her going. Music was a huge thing for her and she passed away peacefully last night listening to your show with us by her side.’
Get involved:
The studios have been built and maintained by the members so as well as looking for would be Ken Bruces they need technical folk to join their number. Visit their web site www.reddotradio.co.uk for more information or email studio@reddotradio.co.uk
You can always listen in one night at http://listen.reddotradio.co.uk
