Preparing For Hospital Stay
We will send you written information specific to your operation, treatment or investigation
when we confirm your admission details.
We will let you know what time to arrive
and if appropriate the time you should last eat or drink prior to your operation.
As a rule, you should not drink alcohol the day before your visit and, if you are
a smoker, you should also cut down as much as you can, especially if you will be
having a general anaesthetic. If you get a cold, sore throat or any other illness,
please tell us straight away, as your admission may need to be re-scheduled.
We ask you to bring the following items with you:
- Your admission letter.
- If you have a health insurance policy,
please bring the insurance claim form, as we can help you fill it in.
- any current medication, in their original
container.
- any current treatment cards e.g. diabetic,
steroid, warfarin.
- dressing gown.
- nightdress or pyjamas.
- slippers.
- your usual day/night clothing.
- any walking aid that you use, clearly
labelled with your name.
- books or magazines.
- toiletries, including toothbrush, toothpaste
and a hairbrush or comb.
- If you wish, you are welcome to bring
a battery-operated personal stereo/CD player.
Please do not bring;
- We ask you not to bring valuables, jewellery
or large amounts of money with you.
- Mobile phones - we have medical equipment
on the ward that can be adversely affected by mobile and cellular phones. You will
have a phone in your room and any phone calls will not be charged to you.
Going Home
We will let you know the approximate time that you'll be ready to leave the hospital
- so that you can make arrangements for a friend or family member to accompany you
home.
We have numbers of private ambulance and taxi services that are reliable and
have very competitive rates.
Your consultant will give you any special instructions that you need to follow at
home, and arrange any follow-up appointments or treatment. If you need any drugs
to help your recovery, these will be given to you before you go home.
If possible, you may want to arrange for someone to look after you for a day or
two following your treatment.
When you're back at home, you should:
- relax and rest as much as possible
- take any drugs exactly as your consultant
has prescribed
- follow your discharge advice exactly
as prescribed - this will include details on what to eat and when you can begin
activities again such as driving and lifting heavy shopping
If you have any concerns or queries, please call the private ward.