NHS phone masts spark health fears
Cambridge Evening News
ADDENBROOKE'S Hospital has been condemned for having too many mobile phone masts on its roof.
Thirty masts and dishes are on the roof of the main ward block. The hospital says there is no risk to patients or staff from the equipment, but pressure group Mast Sanity disagrees.
Communications director, Karen Barratt, said: "Thirty is a lot of masts and, given the sensitivity of the site, on a hospital, that is completely unacceptable.
"There is increasing evidence to suggest there are serious health implications from this technology . . . they should be looking to find ways to have masts removed from the premises."
Independent mobile phone research group Powerwatch is also concerned by the number of masts.
Researcher Jean Philips said: "People in wards under the masts will probably be in the best place because emissions go out, not down. The problem will be in buildings around the ward block because emissions will go straight into the windows.
There will be a lot of buildings exposed to quite high levels of microwaves."
A hospital spokeswoman said: "We have got 30 dishes and masts up on the roof.
"That number has not grown over the last couple of years and we have not got any plans to increase that significantly in the near future.
"We follow national guidelines for any health risks and each has to have a survey done each time to show there's no risk.
It's part of our responsibility as landlord and duty of care to patients and staff."
Anti-mast campaigners say the hospital could be charging up to £100,000 a year to allow the masts to be sited there.
http://www.cambridge-news.co.uk/news/city/2005/05/18/1f691f3d-c19a-4772-a9d9-b9c96bb2a86c.lpf
Informant: Sylvie
ADDENBROOKE'S Hospital has been condemned for having too many mobile phone masts on its roof.
Thirty masts and dishes are on the roof of the main ward block. The hospital says there is no risk to patients or staff from the equipment, but pressure group Mast Sanity disagrees.
Communications director, Karen Barratt, said: "Thirty is a lot of masts and, given the sensitivity of the site, on a hospital, that is completely unacceptable.
"There is increasing evidence to suggest there are serious health implications from this technology . . . they should be looking to find ways to have masts removed from the premises."
Independent mobile phone research group Powerwatch is also concerned by the number of masts.
Researcher Jean Philips said: "People in wards under the masts will probably be in the best place because emissions go out, not down. The problem will be in buildings around the ward block because emissions will go straight into the windows.
There will be a lot of buildings exposed to quite high levels of microwaves."
A hospital spokeswoman said: "We have got 30 dishes and masts up on the roof.
"That number has not grown over the last couple of years and we have not got any plans to increase that significantly in the near future.
"We follow national guidelines for any health risks and each has to have a survey done each time to show there's no risk.
It's part of our responsibility as landlord and duty of care to patients and staff."
Anti-mast campaigners say the hospital could be charging up to £100,000 a year to allow the masts to be sited there.
http://www.cambridge-news.co.uk/news/city/2005/05/18/1f691f3d-c19a-4772-a9d9-b9c96bb2a86c.lpf
Informant: Sylvie
Starmail - 19. Mai, 15:47
