Welcome Guide – Older people’s and dementia care inpatient services

This Welcome Guide provides information about your unit, the staff, and the treatments and therapies that will be available to you.

This welcome guide is for inpatient wards:
• Akenside
• Castleside
• Cleadon
• Hauxley
• Marsden
• Mowbray
• Oakwood
• Roker
• Ruskin
• Woodhorn

A member of staff or a carer can support you to read this Welcome Guide. They will be able to answer any questions that you have.

Your named nurse will discuss the Welcome Guide with you when you are first admitted and answer any questions that you have. Staff will also give you a service leaflet about your ward.

Your Named Nurse is ………………………………………………………..…

Your Consultant is ………………..…………………………………………….

The Ward Manager is ……………………………………………………..…….

Arriving on the unit
You will be met by the nurse in charge. They will make sure you know why you have come to the unit. They will explain what will happen during your stay.

You will be asked lots of questions. This information will help the nurses to care for you. As a Trust our staff will respect your rights to privacy and dignity. If you have any concerns please speak to a member of the health care team.

Your family or your support worker can be with you when you arrive.

One of the nursing staff will help you to unpack your things. They will make a list of everything you brought with you.

Staff will show you around the unit. They will introduce you to other patients if you wish. One of the nursing staff will stay with you until you have settled in. They will tell you about the unit and answer any questions you or your family might have.

Health checks
A doctor will check that you are well. They will ask you questions about yourself.

The doctor may do some tests like:
• listening to your heart and lungs
• taking your blood pressure
• checking your ears and eyes

The doctor may ask for some other tests for example blood tests. If you agree this will be done by the nurse.

This information will be used to begin to plan your treatment so we can do everything we can to help you get better. We want to help you get home as soon as possible.

Medicines Information Helpline
You or your carer can ring the Pharmacy Medicines Information Helpline if you have questions about your medication.
Tel: 0191 245 6604 open between 8.30am – 5pm.

Mental Health Act 1983
If you have been admitted to hospital under the Mental Health Act 1983, your rights will be explained to you. We will talk to you and your family about this and give you a leaflet.

Consent
You should always be involved in making decisions about your life, care and treatment. Staff will give you a leaflet about this.

Who will look after me?
The ward manager is in charge of the unit.

There is an photo identification board within the ward. All staff are identified by name, job title and photograph. The staff team will make sure your treatment is of a high standard. All of the team will support you and be involved in caring for you.

You can talk to any of the staff if you have any concerns, worries or questions about your treatment.

You will have a Consultant Psychiatrist in charge of your treatment. The consultants at this hospital may be psychiatrists, psychologists or nurses.

Other staff involved in your care could be:
• Advocate
• Podiatrist
• Dentist
• Dietician
• GP
• Occupational Therapist
• Pharmacists
• Physiotherapist
• Arts Therapist
• Psychologist
• Speech and Language Therapist
• Social Worker
• Community Nurse
• Tissue viability nurse
• Patient Advice and Liaison Officer
• Peer Supporter

If you have religious or cultural needs the staff will help to support you. You can talk to a chaplain if you would like.

What will I bring?
You should bring enough clothes to last two weeks. Your clothes can be taken home to be washed by relatives or you can wash them on the unit – your clothes should be clearly labelled with your name.

You will need:
• toothpaste and toothbrush
• things to wash or shower with and towels
• any other toiletries you like to use
• footwear, glasses, hearing aids and dentures should be named where possible
• any photographs should have the patients name written on the back

Bring any medicines, tablets, creams or inhalers with you that you use.
Please give them to the nurse in change who will keep them in a safe place.

Do not bring anything that is valuable or special. Things can get broken or lost. Staff cannot accept liability for loss or damage for any items of value not handed in for safe keeping.

Electrical items will need to be checked before you use them.

Will I need money?
You should not bring cash or valuable with you whenever possible. However, there is access to a lockable safe in your bedroom and a patient’s bank for safekeeping of cash or valuables.

Your main benefits will be paid while you are in hospital. You can collect your money in the usual way.

What should I not bring?
• anything that is special
• anything that is valuable
• pets
• cigarettes, matches, lighters
• glass bottles
• alcohol
• illegal drugs
• scissors
• knives
• cameras
• pornographic material

What will I eat?
There is a dining room for you to eat your meals. There is a menu for you to choose your meals from. Snacks and drinks are available.

If you need a special diet let the nurse know as soon as possible. The staff encourage you to eat a healthy, balanced diet.

Staff provide hot and cold drinks on a regular basis.

Mealtimes are usually around
Breakfast 8.15 am (weekends are later)
Lunch 12 noon to 1 pm
Dinner 4.30 pm – 5.30 pm check with the ward team for specific times
Supper 9 pm

Wards have protected mealtimes. Staff reduce clinical work to ensure that they are available to assist you with your meals if you require help.

Bathrooms
All wards have bathroom/shower facilities available. There are disabled toilet and bathroom facilities on the unit.

Bedrooms
You will have your own bedroom.

TV and music
There is a TV in the in the main lounge. A CD player is also available to use.

Alarms
Alarm systems are carried by all members of staff. Call button are available in the assisted bathrooms and bedrooms.

Fire alarms
Alarm systems are tested on a weekly basis – staff will let you know what day they are tested on.

What about my religious, spiritual and cultural needs?
If you have religious or cultural needs the staff will help to support you. This could include needing a different diet or dressing differently. You can talk to a chaplain if you would like to. We have a team of chaplains from different faith communities who are available to visit you throughout the week, including weekends. Please ask staff or call at the chapel.

Smoking
The Trust is Smokefree. Smoking is not allowed on any ward or in our grounds. Staff will support you to be Smokefree whilst you are in hospital and a member of The QUIT Team will visit you to support you to stop smoking and discuss Nicotine Replacement Therapy or Vaping (e-cigarettes) with you. Please do not bring any cigarettes tobacco products or lighters with you into hospital.

What can I do during the day?
There is a range of activities that you can attend; some are part of your treatment and others are for leisure.

The nurses and therapists will be there to support you. Your named nurse will let you know what sessions and activities are available.

Information the Trust keeps about you
Why does the Trust keep information about me?
The Trust needs to keep information about you, your health and treatment so that we can provide the best possible care for you.

Is the information kept confidential?
Everyone who works in the Trust and within the wider NHS must keep information about you confidential. We do share information within the team that is caring for you, and sometimes with other professionals in other organisations that are providing care for you, like Social Services.

If we do share information with other organisations, we would normally talk to you about it first and ask for your permission. On very rare occasions we may also share information with other organisations because we feel that there would be a serious risk to you or to other people if we did not do so, or because there is a legal obligation, such as a court order, that means we have to disclose information.

What sort of information do you keep?
We keep information both on paper and on computer. The kinds of details that we keep include:
• Basic information about you, such as your name, date of birth, address, next of kin
• Records of your contacts with professionals, such as clinic visits

• Notes and reports on your health and any treatment or care that you need
• Records of any tests or assessments that we carry out
• Records of the treatment and care that we provide for you
• Relevant information from other health professionals, members of your family or friends who care for you and know you well

Can I see what information you have about me?
You have the right, under the Data Protection Act 1998, to find out what information we hold about you, whether that is on computer or on paper records. If you want to do this, you should write to:

Disclosure Officer
Information Governance Department St Nicholas Hospital
Jubilee Road Gosforth
Newcastle upon Tyne NE3 3XT

The Trust produces a booklet ‘Information that the Trust keeps about you’. Copies are available from staff or the Patient Information Centre Tel: 0191 246 7288.

Safeguarding
The Trust produced a leaflet ‘What is safeguarding adults?’ please ask staff for a copy or call the Patient Information Centre 0191 246 7288

Locked doors
Freedom of choice and freedom of movement are important values. However, the ward operates a locked door policy for safety purposes. All leave is arranged individually in line with your care plan.

Can I have visitors?
Wards have open visiting and you can have visitors on the unit. Where possible visitors should avoid visiting at breakfast, lunch and dinner times, this will ensure that staff have time to support patients with their meals times. If you have difficulty avoiding identified mealtimes please speak to the nurse in charge.

If children would like to visit please check with the nursing staff first, to ensure an appropriate room is available.

You may be able to leave the unit with your visitors. You will need to talk to your named nurse about this.

It is good for your family and friends to keep in touch with you.

Letters
Any letters will be given to you unopened. Staff can help you read a letter if you wish. Staff will help you write a letter if you need help.

Using the phone
You can make and receive telephone calls in private using the ward payphone.

Using the computer
Access to computers is available on some wards, staff can support you to access computers following an assessment.

Useful phone numbers – The numbers will be filled in by your named nurse.

Main switchboard _______________________________________________________
Advocacy ______________________________________________________________
Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS) ______________________________
Social worker _________________________________________________________
Social Services/benefits advice ________________________________________
Community nurse ________________________________________________________
Carers Centre (National) ______________________________________________
Local Carer Centre ____________________________________________________
Other important numbers _______________________________________________

Problems, complaints or suggestions
Cumbria, Northumberland, Tyne and Wear NHS Foundation Trust has a complaints policy. We will give you a leaflet about how to make a complaint.

If you think that we could improve our service then please let a nurse know your idea.

You can also fill in a short survey, please ask staff for a copy.

Leaving hospital can be an important life event so it is essential that you receive good quality discharge care. Plans around your discharge should start soon after admission and be part of all care planning processes. Carers will be involved in the planning of any discharge.

The following suggestions are things you might need to consider before leaving the ward:
• Do you have accommodation?
• Is your housing secure and fit to live in?
• Do you have your keys?
• Is your gas and electricity connected?
• Are your finances sorted out?

Staff on the ward will be able to help with any issues you might have.

• Patient Information Centre – Cumbria, Northumberland Tyne and Wear NHS Foundation Trust
www.cntw.nhs.uk or Tel: 0191 246 7288
Self help guides, patient information leaflets, mental health and wellbeing information that you may find useful.

• The NHS website
www.nhs.uk
Information about conditions, treatments, local services and healthy lives.

Age UK Advice Line
Tel: 0800 678 1602
www.ageuk.org.uk

Carers Trust
Email: info@carers.org
www.carers.org

Carers UK
Tel: 0808 808 7777
www.carersuk.org

Mind Infoline
Tel: 0300 123 3393
www.mind.org.uk

National Dementia Helpline
Tel: 0300 222 1122
www.alzheimers.org.uk

Silverline – helpline for older people
Tel: 0800 470 8090
www.silverline.org.uk

Sign up to become a Cumbria, Northumberland, Tyne and Wear NHS Foundation Trust member
www.cntw.nhs.uk/membership
0191 245 6827
FREEPOST CNTW MEMBERSHIP

Membership is completely free and as a member you can:
– give your views on the Trust’s plans and any issues that interest you
– vote in the Governor Elections or stand as a Governor yourself
– receive regular information about the Trust

Further information about the content, reference sources or production of this leaflet can be obtained from the Patient Information Centre. If you would like to tell us what you think about this leaflet please get in touch.

This information can be made available in a range of formats on request (eg Braille, audio, larger print, easy read, BSL or other languages). Please contact the Patient Information Centre

Tel: 0191 246 7288

Published by the Patient Information Centre
2023 Copyright, Cumbria, Northumberland, Tyne and Wear NHS Foundation Trust

Ref, PIC/803/0323 V3 March 2023

www.cntw.nhs.uk Tel: 0191 246 7288

Review date 2026