I suspect it's down to one or two people not doing what they should. My partner has worked on surgical wards in the past and assures me that the normal policy would be to attempt to contact next of kin when somebody needs a major operation. My mother definitely knows my phone number and my brother's number off by heart - we've all been calling each other for the last 30 years - and the neighbour says she's quite cheerful and talkative. She should have to put up a major fight or give some compelling reasons to prevent them contacting us.