We try our best to give you enough notice of your admission date.  If you cannot attend on the date and time shown on the letter you have received, then please telephone the number indicated on your letter as soon as possible so we can rearrange a time more convenient to you and offer the original date to someone else.

If you can, you should tell your GP of your admission date. If you are caring for somebody else, please talk with your GP about how care can be continued while you are in hospital.

If you think you may need help to carry out your normal activities after discharge, you should discuss this with your GP before coming into hospital and with the staff during your stay.
 

On arrival please report to the area recorded on your admission letter. A member of the admission staff will check your details. This is to ensure that we maintain accurate records

Unless you are an emergency patient, you will have received a ‘Notification of Admission’ form telling you where and when to report to the hospital. Please bring this with you on admission. You should also bring the following information

• National Insurance number
• Government Pension Book number
• Department of Social Security number.

Personal items

• Night clothes, including dressing gown and slippers. You may wish to bring some comfortable and loose ordinary clothing for during the day. We would suggest that you keep the amount of clothing you bring with you to a minimum as bedside storage space is limited. Please mark all clothing and towels with the owner’s name.
• Toiletries, soaps and towels.
• For male patients, facilities are available on the ward for electric razors; however you should bring your own shaving adaptor.
• Any special equipment you require to meet your specific needs.
• Please note, you should avoid bringing valuables into hospital. We regret that we cannot accept responsibility for the loss of personal property or valuables unless you have handed them over for safe keeping to the nursing staff and you have a receipt.

Medication

Please bring with you any medication that you are currently taking and tell the nursing and medical staff on admission. Please also tell them if you get your medicines in a medication organiser, for example a Dossette or Medidos box. Bring any special cards you have which detail current treatment, for example a steroid card or anticoagulation card.

It is also important that you alert the medical and nursing staff if you have any allergies (for example, to certain drugs or latex) or if you have had any adverse reactions to medication and this will be recorded in your records.

On some wards you will continue to take medicines prescribed for you by your GP. This is to help you remain familiar with them and to reduce waste. If any medicines are changed, the hospital will supply what you need.

Living Will or Advance Directive

If you have a Living Will or Advance Directive that you would like us to be aware of, please bring a copy of the document, which can be placed in your case notes. Bring this to the attention of staff when you are admitted.

If you are on certain types of benefit, you may be entitled to help with your travel costs. Please ask ward staff or call at the Cashiers Office for details. If you are eligible, you will need to bring proof of benefits, travel costs and an authorised confirmation of your attendance issued by the department that you have attended.

Please note that costs will only be covered to and/or from the address on your benefit book (or documentation). Travel expenses for anyone who escorts you are only payable if there is a medical need and you have proof of this.