General Medical Wards - Welcome to Ward F7

Ward Manager: Chelsea Trow
Ward Sisters: Kathryn Doolan, Nicola Gregory and Anna White
Ward Telephone Number: 0161 627 8426 or 0161 627 8427

About Ward F7

Ward F7 is a 26 bedded ward that treats patients with a range of medical conditions. This consists of 3 bays and 3 side rooms. All bed areas have lockers, table, chair and individual digital televisions. Our aim is to provide high quality care to you as an individual, and all the staff would like to welcome you to the ward.

The ward is managed by Chelsea Trow. The Ward Manager is usually available between 7:30am to 3:30pm, Monday to Friday, but other times can be arranged if required.

We are a dementia friendly ward and work together as a team to provide a high standard of care.

This leaflet aims to help you and your family understand more about your stay on the Ward. It explains the routine of the ward and how your care will be planned from admission to discharge.

This leaflet also contains useful information for your family, friends and carers.

We will do our best to make you and your family/friends as comfortable as possible during their stay with us.

During your stay

Once you have been allocated your bedside locker and placed your belongings into it, please could you arrange for any bags/ suitcases to be taken home until you are ready for discharge.

We have a limited number of side rooms that accommodate one person only. These rooms may be used for number of clinical reasons, for example to prevent infection spreading. If there are no clinical needs for you to be in a side room, you may be asked to move to a bay.

We aim to provide same-sex accommodation on our ward, so that you only share sleeping bays, washing and toilet facilities with members of your own gender.

We are a dementia friendly ward, and you will see signs on our ward, clocks visible from your bed area, volunteers and plenty of activities in our dementia friendly activity cupboard. The hospital also supports and promotes 'John's Campaign'. If you have a relative with cognitive impairment, we encourage you to stay with them as often as you wish, even during restricted mealtimes, so that you are able to help and support them during their stay.

Whilst you are here you will meet several members of the team, who will introduce themselves. All our staff will be wearing name badges.

Every day you will be allocated a named nurse who will coordinate your care. They will write their name on the board behind your bed. We also encourage you to let us know ‘what matters most to you’ each day so that we can try to facilitate this as best as possible.

It is very important to us that your personal care and hygiene needs are meet, for example that there are no delays if you need help to go to the toilet, and that we manage any pain you may experience effectively.
 
If you have any concerns about any aspect of your care, please talk to the nurse in charge. If they are not available you can request to talk to the ward manager, lead nurse, or you wish to talk to somebody from outside the ward, you can call a senior Nurse 24 hours a day on 07970 199258.

If there is anything else, we can do for you and your family whilst you are with us; please do not hesitate to ask.

Admission

All patients are first welcomed to the ward. Staff will ask how they would like to be addressed e.g. Mr, Mrs or first name. A detailed assessment, in the form of a friendly question and answer session, is then made by a member of the nursing staff.

This is only done if your condition permits. Relatives or friends may be able to answer questions for you. The treatment you require will also be explained at this time.

Please ask any questions you wish. Any information about your illness or stay in the hospital will be treated in strict confidence.

If you are taking any medications, it is important to bring these to our attention on admission.

Nursing team

Nursing care on the ward is provided by a team of registered nurses and healthcare assistants. They have a wide range of skills as well as undertaking and supporting investigations and observations. To support the nursing team, we also have a ward clerk, housekeeper, domestic assistant and pharmacist. If you need assistance at any time, or have any questions, please do not hesitate to speak to any member of the team.

In addition to the department staff there are members of the Multi-Disciplinary Team (MDT) who will be involved in patient's treatment and care depending on the individual needs and requirements of the patient. These include doctors, physiotherapists, occupational therapists, social workers, speech therapists, dieticians and numerous specialist nurses. These colleagues are integral to patient care and also contribute towards the assessment process to ensure safe and timely discharge from hospital.

Doctors

In our unit we have consultants, specialty doctors and junior doctors. Your consultant will not always be available on the ward. If you would like to speak with your consultant, please ask a member of our nursing staff who will be pleased to assist.

You can expect to be seen daily by either your consultant or a senior member of their team. In addition, we have ward-based doctors who will contribute to your care and treatment.

#EndPJParalysis - Get Dressed, Get Up, Get Moving!

During your stay in hospital, it is important to remain mobile and independent. Spending just a few days in bed can be harmful to your muscles, causing deconditioning which can impact on your mobility.

We encourage patients to be dressed and mobile whilst in our care as their condition allows. Our hospital participates in the national #EndPJParalysis campaign. We ask that relatives bring the following items to help aid with your care and recovery:

Clothes:

• Night wear
• Suitable slippers(non-slip)
• Dressing gown
• Comfortable day clothes
• Underwear
• Shoes (avoid backless shoes)

Toiletries:

• Hairbrush/comb
• Soap
• Facecloth
• Toothbrush
• Toothpaste/denture cleaner
• Towels
• Tissues
• Shaving equipment
• Deodorant

Mealtimes

We operate a protected mealtime policy. This is to ensure that our patients have an uninterrupted time when they can eat their food in peace and that nursing staff are on hand to help if required. Visitors are asked not to visit during these times unless they are there to help patients to eat. Mealtimes are at:

• Breakfast: 7.30am – 8.30am
• Lunch: 11:45am – 1.00pm
• Evening meal: 4.45pm - 6.00pm

Drinks are provided throughout the day as well as with meals.

Snacks are also available 24 hours a day so please ensure you ask our staff and very importantly that you tell the ward staff if you are allergic to any foods.

Falls, we all have a role to play

You will be given our “Falls Prevention” leaflet on admission to our ward. As a patient you can help reduce the risk of falling by:

Making sure you have the call bell near you when getting into bed, telling the nurses that you may need help if you’re anxious about walking, being very careful when getting in and out of bed and standing up, walking slowly around the ward, wearing well-fitting shoes or slippers and clothing that will not make you trip and using your walking aid, hearing aid and glasses if you have them.

Preventing pressure ulcers

You will also be given our “Pressure Ulcer Prevention” leaflet on admission to our ward. A pressure ulcer is an area of damage to the skin and underlying tissue and is more likely to occur if you have to stay in bed, in a chair or in a wheelchair for long periods of time. Your risk of developing pressure damage will be assessed when you come into hospital and your nurse will come to you every two hours to prompt or assist you in changing your position. One of the best ways to prevent a pressure ulcer is to reduce or relieve pressure on the areas at risk by moving around and changing position as much as possible.

Visitors

Our visiting times are 10am - 7.30pm. Please be aware that team members will be about and you may be asked to step outside when they are with the patient. We ask that visiting is avoided during mealtimes except in special circumstances by prior arrangement with the nurse in charge. In special circumstances, we have facilities for loved ones to stay overnight and this can be discussed with the ward manager or nurse in charge.

We ask that you have only two visitors at a time as large groups can disturb other patients. Any additional visitors may be asked to wait off the ward. Children are welcome to visit parents/ carers/relatives in hospital, but any child under the age of 16 years must be accompanied by a responsible adult visitor.

Visitors are also kindly asked not to sit on patient’s bed and armchairs and to use the visitors’ chairs provided. Visitor’s chairs are provided on the ward. Please can these be returned following visiting.

In order to prevent the spread of infection and illness, visitors who have been unwell with symptoms of cough, cold, diarrhoea and/or vomiting should not come into the hospital until they have been free of symptoms. In case of diarrhoea and vomiting, visitors can come to the unit after 72 hours symptoms free. All visitors should use the alcohol hand gel when they arrive and leave.

Your relatives can phone your ward anytime for an update on your progress. It’s a good idea to nominate one family member to be the main point of contact. Our ward contact number is 0161 627 8426.

Café Royal

The Café Royal is situated on the main corridor on the main entrance floor. From breakfast right through to evening meals, the Café Royal offers freshly prepared traditional home cooking, using good quality ingredients, to produce great value and quality food. The Café has a baguette bar, which is very popular with staff and visitors. You choose the bread and filling to create a sandwich that is just how you like it. If you want to grab and go, there is also a great variety of salads and sandwiches ready to go.

Opening times:

Monday to Friday 7.30am – 6pm
Saturday and Sunday 8am to 11am for breakfast only
Breakfast is served between 7.30am to 10.30am Monday to Friday

M&S/WH Smiths Shop

Situated at the main entrance of the hospital where staff, visitors and patients can buy sandwiches, snacks and drinks.

Spiritual Care Team

Chaplains are available from different denominations and faiths and are supported by a team of volunteers. You can see a chaplain at any time and the nursing team can arrange this for you. A Christian chapel is available to all in Chalmers Keddie for those who wish to pray or be quiet. This facility is open 6am – 6pm due to its location. We also offer a Muslim Prayer room with a women’s area, which is open 24 hours.

Translation and Interpretation Service

The Interpretation and Translation Service provides verbal and written language interpretation services for over 82 languages spoken within the geographical area of the Trust. They also provide The British Sign Language for patients with sensory difficulties, braille or large text documents for visually impaired.

Student nurses, Cadets and medical students

Ward F7 is a teaching and learning environment therefore you may come into contact with medical students and student nurses. There may also be trainee therapists working on the ward.

During your stay in hospital, procedures may be carried out by students and other healthcare professionals, as part of a recognised teaching/development programme. You do not have to take part if you do not want to and your treatment will not be affected in any way. Please let your nurse or doctor know.

Consenting to treatment

We want to make sure that you fully understand your condition and the different treatment options available to you. Before you receive any treatment, your doctor will explain your treatment options, including the benefits, risks and any alternatives. You will be given time to think about the information provided and supporting information such as informative leaflets will also be given to you.
 
You may be asked to sign a consent form for your treatment. You can refuse treatment at any time, including after you have signed a consent form. If you are unsure, then please ask us for further clarification.

Sleeping

Hospitals can sometimes be noisy at night. We have ear plugs and eye masks available if you have difficulty sleeping. Please ask the nurse when receiving night medication.

Smoking

Strictly no smoking is allowed in either our buildings or grounds, including car parks. Smoking is the largest single preventable cause of ill health and premature death in the UK. As an organisation, we aim to provide a smoke free environment and are committed to protecting staff, patients and visitors against the effects of secondary smoke.

We hope that this policy will encourage patients, visitors and staff alike to make their own decision to give up smoking.

All the no-smoking signs in our hospitals carry contact details for the local, free NHS stop smoking services. If you require support with giving up smoking, then call the following number for information and advice:

Oldham: Positive Steps 0800 288 9008.

As part of our nursing assessment, all patients admitted to our hospital are asked if they smoke and if they have considered quitting. Support and advice are available to patients who would like help to quit smoking leaflets are available which set out the range of support available and these will be given to patients by our nursing staff.

Leaving the hospital

We’ll begin to talk to you about leaving the hospital (being discharged) as soon as possible after your admission so that we can help prepare you.

Once we’ve agreed your discharge date with you, you’ll need to talk to your family, friends or carers to make arrangements for your return home. If you feel you may require extra help with things such as washing and dressing or shopping when you go home, tell your nursing staff as soon you can.

On the day, once your doctor has told you that you are able to go home, there are a number of things that need to happen, and it may take some time for all of these to be completed.

To ensure we have beds available for other patients who may need them, we will aim for you to be discharged before lunchtime.

Please make sure you take all your belongings with you, as well as any patient information leaflets, medicines and dressings you may need. You should also be given details of who to contact if you have any queries, along with a copy of your discharge summary which will include a list of medicines you need to take at home.

You should arrange for a friend or family member to collect you from the hospital. If your medical condition means that you need to be transported by ambulance your nurse will arrange it for you.

Once you are ready to go home, you may be transferred to the discharge lounge. This is a place where you wait to be collected by your carers, relatives or by an ambulance.

Tell us what you think about your stay

Feedback is of high importance to us and we value the opportunity to hear your thoughts regarding your stay!

To help us improve our service we encourage patients and carers to complete a ‘Friends & Family Test’ survey. There are posters around the ward with a QR code to scan, so you can give us feedback. The comments our patients give get reviewed on a monthly basis and are a really valuable way of getting feedback on how we are doing and what we could improve on.

Compliments, concerns and complaints

A positive patient experience is very important to all the staff. We always welcome and encourage feedback whether it is good or bad.

If you have any concerns or complaints regarding your stay on Ward F7, please feel free ask to speak to your nurse or ward manager.

If you feel unable to communicate your complaint with ward staff, the trust has the Patient advice and liaison services (PALS) which is a confidential service that provides help, advice and information for patients, families and carers.

You can contact PALS by ringing 0161 778 5665 or by email: pals@nca.nhs.uk

Address: PALS Department, Unit 7/8 Whitney Court, Southlink Business Park, Hamilton Street, Oldham, OL4 1DB.