Caring for you, caring for us

We provide our services in hospitals, the community and in people’s homes (please see Care in your home for information about this).

We would like your experience of our services to be positive and hope that the information on our website will help you with any preparations you may need to make and help you prepare for a visit or if you are attending or visiting one of our hospitals.

If you need any additional support or guidance please follow the contact information on your appointment letter or contact one of our hospitals.

Our Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS) may also be able to help.

What you can expect

When you are being seen by us you can expect the following:

To be given a clear explanation of your condition and the treatment options available to you
To be asked for your written permission (called ‘consent’) for any operation or certain procedures after being given all relevant information
To be told about different aspects of your treatment and what procedures are being carried out
To be treated with respect and dignity at all times in an environment that is clean
To be confident that the information we hold about you in your records will be kept confidential
To have arrangements made for you to see your patient records if you would like
We would keep relatives or carers informed of your progress if you want us to

If you have difficulties speaking or understanding English please ask for an interpreter before your appointment.

What we ask of you

Please treat our staff with the same respect you expect from them
Please give us the information we need about your condition, symptoms or medication so we can provide appropriate care
Please let us know about any special needs you may have (for example), an interpreter
When in hospital, please help, as far as possible, in feeding yourself, keeping mobile and with your personal hygiene
When in hospital, please be considerate to other patients
When in hospital, please arrange for your own transport home, if possible
When in hospital, please arrange with your family and friends to take care of your personal laundry, if possible
When in hospital, please reduce disturbance to other patients during visiting times (which may vary and be subject to certain restrictions). For more information about any visiting restrictions click here