Your Family/Carers
If you have family or friends who provide a lot of support for you, there may be some things we can do to help them, like giving them information about services, or putting them in touch with other carers.
If they provide a lot of support regularly, they may be entitled to a carers assessment. Your Named Nurse or Care Co-ordinator can help with this. Let them know if you think your family or friends need guidance or help.
Planning for home
When you are ready to leave hospital, or go on a trial home leave, you will have your future needs discussed within the MDM. Family and carers will be encouraged to take an active role in this meeting if you consent to this.
This meeting is known as the CPA meeting and will determine any additional support which may be required to help you live independently at home.
If you require additional community support, whether this is in your own home or in residential care, we will complete a referral form and send to the appropriate professional.
This person may work in another health or social care organisation, but we will let you know when we have done this.
Your care plan will detail who to contact after discharge if you need to talk to someone, and when someone will visit to make sure you’re ok. Your leave and discharge will be discussed with you, and the right services put in place for you.
Your Named Nurse will work out all the things which need to be done before you can go home, and keep a record of everything that’s in place and everyone who has been told about the arrangements.
If appropriate, it may be necessary for the Occupational Therapist to do a home visit to assess safety and need for further equipment to ensure you have a successful discharge.
If after the assessment period it is thought unsuitable for you to return home, a nursing assessment will take place.
You and your carer/ family will then receive advice on suitable accommodation to meet your physical and mental health needs. This will then be discussed at the MDM.
All efforts are made to support individual choices, however this may not be possible in the first instance, and you will be advised if this occurs.
Support for you
There may be times when you or your relatives have concerns or questions about the care and treatment you are receiving, or you may need some support.
The Patient Experience team can help you with this. They will listen confidentially to your concerns and give you information that is relevant by contacting independent, statutory or non-statutory organisations such as Advocacy or the Carers' Association.
The Patient Experience team can also help by sorting out any disagreement or concerns you may have with any NHS service. You can ask a member of staff to contact the team on your behalf, or you can contact the service using the freephone
helpline (0800 027 2128).
We also offer an Advocacy service, which can support, represent and inform you, should you need assistance in obtaining your rights or resolving a difficult situation.
Advocates are independent of the Trust and will act on your instructions only. They can help you plan for and attend meetings. The service is confidential. You have the right to access this type of support. An Independent Mental Capacity Advocacy Service (IMCAS) is available for people who struggle to make decisions about their affairs.
Please contact ward staff for further information. Further information regarding the service our Trust delivers is available via www.corecarestandards.co.uk
Community Meetings
Weekly meetings are held with staff and patients to talk through any general issues on the Ward. Minutes of such meetings are available to all.
Pastoral and Spiritual Care
We have a chaplaincy service to support you during your stay.
It does not matter what your beliefs are, our chaplain will support you. We can also arrange for members of different communities or faiths to visit you.
Our chaplain can offer
- befriending
- bereavement support
- support with problems
- a link with a church
- prayer and spiritual care.
If you would like to speak to the chaplain, ask a member of staff.
Confidentiality and use of patient information
Details of your medical care will be recorded but at all times we aim to protect your personal information. Great care is taken to ensure high standards of confidentiality are maintained with all information held.
The ‘Data Protection Act 2018’ gives you the right of access to any personal information which the Trust holds about you. If you wish to apply for access to your information, or if you would like more information about your rights under the Act you should, in the first instance, contact our Health Records Officer on 01332 623558.
