Preparing for your hospital visit
A few days before you are due to come in to hospital please make sure you check your admissions letter for all the details you may need to know such as where to go when you arrive and for any special instructions, for example not eating or bringing a urine sample.
If you are having an operation, fasting is essential prior to surgery under general anaesthetic, as it prevents vomiting and other complications. The length of fasting time varies for different procedures. You will be notified of this either prior to your appointment in some patient information you might have been sent, or by the nursing staff if you are already on the ward.
Please call the number on your admission letter to discuss whether you are well enough for treatment if you have had any of the following in the three days running up to your admission date:
- exposure to an infection such as chickenpox, measles, mumps or rubella
- signs or symptoms of such infections
- a cough or a cold, or other breathing or chest problems.
It is also a good idea to phone the hospital number on your hospital letter to make sure everything is ready for your arrival. Bring your admission letter with you and if you have any questions or concerns, write them down and bring them with you.
What to bring
Our hospitals are very busy places and you may find you are moved from one place to another, so we suggest not bringing lots of belongings with you. However, the following items will make your stay as comfortable as possible:
- any medication you have been taking
- a dressing gown
- slippers
- toiletries (toothbrush, toothpaste and a hand towel)
- spectacles and a hearing aid if you need them - it's a good idea to label or mark them with your name
- dentures if you need them, ideally with a pot labelled with your name (a pot can be provided on request)
- a set of clothes for your journey home
- socks and a comfortable pair of shoes
Please do not bring large amounts of money or valuables with you.
We encourage our patients to get dressed and mobile as soon as they are able, this promotes dignity and helps aid a quicker recovery, often reduces the length of time in hospital, and reduces muscle wasting. Together we can help encourage our patients to 'Get Moving 2 Get Home'.
Notes about property
We are committed to providing you with excellent healthcare. Unfortunately, whilst we are caring for you we are not able to provide a general property management service.
We will not accept liability for loss and damage to your property and belongings unless they have been handed over for safe keeping and a receipt has been issued to you or your relative.
We strongly advise that you think carefully about what property you bring into hospital.
Valuable property which we are holding on your behalf will not be kept on the ward and will not be immediately accessible.
It would be advisable if your property is clearly labelled with your name. It is best to use an indelible marker pen or name labels.
Please try to keep the amount of property you are bringing into hospital to a minimum as we have limited space available. We suggest that you bring no more than a small suitcase or holdall.
