When you arrive on the hospital ward, we’ll show you around and answer any questions you have.
You'll be given a hospital identity bracelet with your name on it. This allows all staff to quickly identify you. If you have an allergy, this bracelet will be red.
Always keep your identity bracelet on your wrist. This is for your safety.
Medicines
Give all the medicines you've brought in with you to your nurse. They’ll tell you where and how they'll be stored.
Your nursing team usually help you take your medicines while you’re in hospital. If you would prefer to take your medicines yourself, talk to your nurse.
Tell us if you're allergic to any medicines.
It's also important that you tell your doctor and ward pharmacist about any medicines you're taking. This includes:
- prescription medicines
- medicines you buy from a pharmacy or shop
- alternative medicines, such as herbal and homeopathic remedies
Ask your hospital care team any questions about your medicines in hospital.
Daily life on the ward
You usually stay on a ward that specialises in the condition you have. Sometimes, you might stay on a ward with a different specialty. Whichever ward you’re staying on, you’ll be seen by your specialist medical team during their daily ward rounds.
If you need a test or treatment in another part of the hospital, we’ll help you get there.
The following information may vary between wards. Please ask your hospital care team if you have any questions about the ward you’re staying on.
All our wards accommodate both male and female patients. Every ward has separate male and female bed bays, bathrooms and toilets.
Please note that in intensive care and high-dependency areas, where we provide specialist nursing and medical care, patients require constant monitoring. This means that in these areas, male and female patients may, on occasion, be accommodated together. All efforts are made to maintain privacy and dignity at all times.
Please speak to a member of staff if you have any questions or concerns about privacy during your stay.
The toilets and bathrooms near your bay are for the patients in your bay only. You do not need to walk through a different bay to reach your bathroom and toilet.
Eating and drinking well is an important part of your recovery. We want you to benefit as much as possible from the foods that you eat.
Meals
We make all our meals using fresh ingredients in our hospital kitchens. They’re nourishing, appetising and free from additives.
You’ll get:
- breakfast
- lunch
- dinner
- hot and cold drinks
- snacks
Meal times are rotated between the wards. Meal times may vary but will be between the times listed below.
- Breakfast: 8am to 9am
- Hot drinks and snacks: 11:15am to 11:30am
- Lunch: 12pm to 1:15pm
- Tea: 2:30pm to 3pm
- Evening meal: 6pm to 7:15pm
Visitors can stay with you if you need their help to eat or drink. If you would like to join your relatives for a meal in one of the hospital restaurants, the catering department can provide a voucher equal to the price of your hospital meal. Please check with your nurse first that you are well enough and you will then be given a voucher on the ward.
Any tests or treatments you need should take place before or after meals. If you miss a meal, speak to your nurse or food service assistant.
Food options
You can choose your meal from our menu each day. Our menu includes:
- hot and cold items
- vegetarian and vegan options
- halal and kosher options
- a variety of food from around the world
You can choose to have small, medium or large portions.
We can also organise meals that cater to different cultures and religions, for example, kosher and halal options.
Tell your nursing team or your food service assistant if you have any dietary needs. If you have special dietary needs as a result of your condition or treatment, our dietitians can organise meals for you. We have a 'red tray' system in place. If you have a red meal tray, staff know that you are a patient who needs extra nutritional support at mealtimes.
If you’re having a test or procedure during one of your mealtimes, the nursing staff will ask the catering department to provide a meal when you get back.
Our online allergen portal has allergy and nutrition information about our meals.
Bringing in food
If someone brings in food or drink for you, check with your nurse before eating or drinking it. If you're on a special diet as part of your care, or have been told not to eat or drink (fast) before a procedure, it might not be suitable for you.
We cannot heat food your visitors bring in. There are microwaves in our shops that you can use. Any food your visitors bring in for you must be in a labelled container.
Support with your diet
Talk to a nurse if you:
- have lost weight recently without trying
- feel that you are underweight
- have a poor appetite
We can refer you to one of our dietitians for assessment and advice.
Visitors
We welcome and encourage your family and friends to visit you during your hospital stay. Your ward might have a day room where you can spend time with your visitors. Ask your nursing team about what times people can visit you.
Mobile phones
Mobile phones can affect medical equipment and disturb other patients. You cannot use your phone in some areas of our hospitals. In areas where you can use your phone, keep it on silent mode, use headphones and be considerate of the people around you.
Free video calls
On some wards, we can arrange free video calls. Ask your nursing team if you’re interested in this.
Bedside phone
Some wards have a bedside unit with a phone provided. Your bedside unit will have an instruction guide that includes details of how much it will cost to make a call. Some calls may be free. Ask your nursing team if you need help using your bedside unit or understanding the guide.
The NHS Wi-Fi network is free for you to use. You can use it to check emails, send text messages and browse the internet.
You should not use it for watching or streaming videos, or making voice and video calls.
Your ward might have a day room where you can watch TV, read and play board games.
Some of our wards also have bedside entertainment units that have TV, radio and phone services. Your bedside unit will have an instruction guide that includes details of how much it will cost to make a call. Some calls may be free. Ask your nursing team if you need help using your bedside unit or understanding the guide.
There’s a small cupboard next to your bed where you can store a few of your personal belongings. This cupboard is not locked.
If you've brought valuables with you, ask your family or friends to look after them.
If you need to keep your valuables in hospital, ask your nurse to look after them for you. Your nurse will arrange for them to be stored safely. You will get a receipt showing which items we have stored, so please keep it safe. You will need to give the receipt back to us when you come to collect your belongings. You can collect them when you're ready to leave hospital.
We want you to rest and sleep as well as possible during your stay. Prepare for sleep as you normally do. Make sure you have anything you might need during the night close by.
Ask your nurse for things that can help you sleep, such as pain relief, or extra blankets and pillows.
After 10pm, please try to be quiet. Turn off any sound from your electronic devices or use headphones. Lower the brightness of your screens so they do not disturb other patients.
After 11pm, the main ward lights will be dimmed. If you need help to go to the bathroom, speak to a nurse.
Most wards do not have a laundry room. Give your personal laundry to your family, friends or carers so they can wash it for you.
Smoking, vaping and e-cigarettes are not allowed anywhere on our hospital grounds. This includes our gardens and outdoor spaces.
Smoking slows down your recovery and increases health risks.
If you would like help giving up smoking, speak to your hospital care team. Our stop smoking service can give you nicotine-replacement therapy to help you during your stay. This might include nictone patches, sprays and lozenges. We’ll also help you to get support even after you leave hospital.
Critical care
If you become seriously ill, or if you've just had surgery, you might move to our critical care unit. This is also known as an intensive care unit (ICU).
It might be noisier in our critical care unit because we use specialist equipment that helps us to monitor you closely. Your daily routine in a critical care unit will be different to your routine in a ward.
Preventing infection
We follow strict guidance to help keep you safe and prevent infection.
We’ll test you for infections while you’re in hospital. If you have an infection, you might need to isolate in a side room. This helps to protect you and other patients. Sometimes we might give you a special body wash to use in the bath or shower during your stay.
It’s important that you help us to keep yourself and other patients safe by following our hygiene guidance.
Decisions about your care
We want to involve you in decisions about your care and treatment. Your hospital care team will talk to you about your options so you can decide what you want to do. Ask us any questions that might help you make your decision.
If you decide you do not want treatment, tell us. Think about sharing this with your family and friends too.
If you want your family or close friends to support you with making a decision, we can arrange for them to be with you when we discuss your options.
It might be a good idea to think about what’s important to you if you become very unwell. Read our information about advance care planning if you’d like to know more.
Spiritual care
Staying in hospital can make you feel worried. If you want someone to talk to, ask a nurse to introduce you to our multifaith chaplaincy team.
We have chaplains and volunteers of many different faiths. We can also support you if you have no religious belief.
Some wards have quiet rooms for meditation and prayer. These rooms are open to everyone.
Planning to leave hospital
Our aim is to help you feel well enough so you can get back to living your life. It’s best to start planning early for how you might leave hospital. This is not about rushing you. It’s about making sure that everything is ready when you’re fit enough to leave.
It’s never too early to ask us questions about leaving hospital.
Questions you can ask
- When do you think I can leave hospital?
- Can I have someone with me when we talk about leaving hospital?
- Where can I go if I cannot go home?
- What support will I get after I leave hospital?
- Can my family, friends or carers get support if they need to look after me when I leave hospital?
- What kind of help can I get with cooking, cleaning and shopping?
- How can I claim disability and sickness benefits?
- Will I need a fit note for my employer?