Looking after you during your stay

All Hampshire Hospitals staff wear name badges and identification badges. They should introduce themselves before they examine you or provide any care, such as giving you medication. You may receive care from a person of any gender. Please tell the ward team if you would find this difficult or have any concerns.

 

You have the right to request a chaperone to accompany or support you during procedures or examinations. Please speak to your nurse if you would like to request a chaperone.

During your stay, we may need to move you to another ward to continue your care. Please be assured that we will only do this when absolutely necessary.

When you arrive on the ward

A nurse or ward clerk will check your details and welcome you to the ward.

You will be given a white wrist band to wear during your stay. You may also need to wear a red wrist band if you have any allergies.

If you have not done so already, please:

✓ hand any medicines you usually take to your nurse, including non-prescription and herbal medications

✓ use the bedside locker for your belongings.

✓ give any valuables to staff for safekeeping. The ward staff will complete a property list with you

✓ tell us if you have any mobility needs or special requirements, such as an interpreter


Who you might see whilst in hospital:

Our nursing staff work in shifts throughout the day and night. For each shift, there will be a nurse responsible for you (sometimes referred to as a ‘named nurse’). If you do not know who is looking after you, please ask a member of the ward staff.

Please feel free to ask your nurse about any medical equipment you may be connected to during your hospital stay.

For each shift, there is also a nurse-in-charge on duty. Their photograph and name will be displayed on the ward. If you have any queries or concerns about your care, please speak to the nurse-in-charge.

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A consultant (senior specialist doctor) will be responsible for your diagnosis, investigations, and treatment during your stay. Each consultant is supported by a team of doctors.

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You may meet other staff involved in your care, such as physiotherapists (physios), dietitians, occupational therapists (OTs), speech and language therapists (SLTs), and pharmacy staff.

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We also have support staff in a variety of roles, including ward clerks, healthcare support workers and healthcare assistants, domestic staff, and porters. They all have a vital role in keeping the hospital running.

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As a teaching hospital, we support the training of medical, nursing, and therapy health care professionals. This means that the team looking after you may include some students. If you would prefer not to be seen by a student, please tell your nurse. It will not affect your care in any way.

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Hampshire Hospitals is a research-active trust. Members of our clinical trials team may ask you about participating in research during your stay.

Please be assured that your care will not be affected in any way if you do not wish to take part in research.

To find out more about research at Hampshire Hospitals, please click here.

Volunteers at Hampshire Hospitals help make your stay better. They support us by greeting visitors, helping at mealtimes and supporting patients both in the hospital and the community.

 

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Food and drink

We will give you a menu to choose your meals from before every mealtime. Please tell the ward staff as soon as possible if you eat a special diet such as gluten-free, vegan, or Halal.

Please also let us know if a speech and language therapist has recommended you have food and drink of a different consistency, such as easy chew, fortified, or puréed.

If you miss a meal, we can arrange for you to have a hot meal either from our catering team (between 7am to 8pm) or a microwaveable ready meal. Each ward also has a range of snacks available such as porridge, rice pots, cereal bars, and pot noodles.

We will offer you a hot or cold drink in between meals and before bed. Please ask a member of staff for details of mealtimes on your ward.

 

If your family and friends would like to bring in your favourite foods to help your appetite, please ask them to check with the ward team first. This is to make sure that the food does not affect your treatment plan or interact with medication or allergies. Unfortunately, we do not have the facilities to safely store food brought in for patients.

 

Patients’ mealtimes are protected from unnecessary or inappropriate intrusions or interruptions. This includes cleaning, bedside toileting (such as patients using commodes), and doctors’ rounds (except in an emergency).

Facilities on the ward

There are a number of facilities available on each ward, including television, telephone and radio. Some wards offer free Wi-Fi. To read more about facilities on the ward, click the button below.

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