Elective Surgery Admissions

All patients undergoing a procedure under general anaesthetic are required to have a pre-assessment. This is completed by the pre-assessment nurse.  In some cases, patients may need to be admitted post-operatively. If you need a post-operative bed, the pre-assessment nurse will contact you before your admission. They will provide you with all the information you may need, including what you should bring with you.  Additionally, the theatre booking officer will contact you with the date and time of the admission.

If your admission needs to be postponed by the hospital, you will receive as much notice as possible, and a new appointment will be scheduled for you at the earliest available date. If, for any reason, you are unable to attend for your scheduled admission, please call the Day Ward office on 045849735/ 045849505/ 045843300.

Your co-operation is greatly be appreciated, as it allows another patient on the waiting list to take your appointment.

Upon arrival at the hospital, please check in at the Day Ward Admissions Office, it is located in the Old Hospital. You will be asked to confirm your details such as your name, address, telephone number, next of kin, religion and general practitioner. The Day Ward admissions officer will be happy to assist you with any questions related to Health Act entitlements and hospital charges. If you require claim forms for private health insurance, they are available from the Admissions Office.  Please provide any details of your private health insurance to this office if applicable.

Day Case Admissions

If you are attending for a day case, your appointment date and time will be confirmed with you over the phone. If you do not attend your appointment without prior notice, you may be removed from our waiting list. If you cannot attend, please let us know as soon as possible byt contacting the Day Services Department at 045-849665/ 045849735/ 045849505/ 045843300.

Admission to Ward

You will be met by a member of the ward staff and shown to your bed. You will get an identification bracelet detailing your name, date of birth and hospital number. It is important that you do not remove this bracelet during your stay. If you need to leave the ward at any time, please inform the Ward Manager.

Our staff are conscious of and highly committed to addressing the special needs of our patients. It may be that you have a mobility, communication, visual, and hearing or language difficulty. If you have a special need, please make it known to the Ward Manager on your admission.

You have a right to receive a clear explanation of your treatment and the options available to you at every stage of your care. Speak with your Doctor or their team.

Consent

Written consent is required prior to surgery or specialised examinations. The relevant documentation will be provided to you by the hospital.

Accommodation

Medical and nursing needs will determine the allocation of hospital accommodation. This means that you may not occupy the same accommodation for the duration of your hospital stay. It may be necessary for you to be transferred between wards during your time here. This is to facilitate the quality of care given to you and other patients in the hospital.

In the event of an emergency admission to the hospital you will be accommodated in any bed is available. For private/semiprivate patients, admission to a public bed may be necessary due to the availability of private/semi-private beds.

During your admission some tests may need to be carried out at another hospital. Where this is the case, we will arrange transport to take you there and back.

Medicines

We will provide all the medicines prescribed to you during your stay. If you take regular prescribed medication, please bring this with you. Let the Ward Manager or nursing staff know about your regular medications. Do not take any medicines which have not been prescribed to you. If a visitor brings in medication, please inform the nursing staff or the Ward Manager.

Discharge

Your doctor will decide when you are well enough for discharge. They will provide you with as much notice as is possible. You will information about your treatment plan by the nursing staff. Please feel free to ask questions before you leave the hospital.

If you or your family members have any concerns about your care before discharge, please let our nursing staff on the ward know. All concerns raised will be addressed by the Clinical Nurse Manager. Where necessary, input from other members of the multi-disciplinary team (the team of doctors and healthcare professionals) will be requested. In the case of more complex issues, or at the request of the patient/family, a multi-disciplinary team meeting can be arranged.

Our Discharge Coordinators can provide more support to ensure safe and appropriate discharge of complex cases. Your doctor, or their team can refer you to a Discharge Coordinator.

On discharge, please ensure the following:

• That you fully understand your medication - what it is, and how to take it. You may need a prescription for your pharmacy
• That you receive confirmation of the date and time of your next appointment if necessary
• That you have taken all your personal belongings
• If needed, you have a medical certificate for your time in hospital. This is available from your doctor or your doctors team.

Medical certificates for periods after your discharge should be requested from your GP.

Your GP will receive a letter from the hospital Doctor. It will detail all relevant information about your stay in hospital, treatment, and advising of any follow up treatment that may be required.

In the interest of patient safety please arrange to be collected from the ward on the day and time of your discharge.

Post

Post and deliveries will be brought to your ward daily. Personal post should have your full name and name of your ward on it.

What to Bring to the Hospital

Being admitted to a hospital can be a worrying experience, it often makes people feel anxious. We are committed to your well-being. If you experience any anxiety or have questions, please speak with our staff.  We are here to help you.

As well as your Admission Letter, patients are asked to bring only essential items such as:

• Sleepwear
• Suitable footwear
• Comfortable day clothes
• Toiletries
• List of medication
• Any equipment used in our care (such as walking aids etc.)
• Phone charger and earphones (if required)
• Personal and medical insurance information
• For patients with hearing aids, glasses or dentures, please ensure that you have secure and labelled storage containers for hearing aids, glasses and dentures.

Place all items in a clearly labelled carry bag with name tag.

Patient's Property

Please refer to the Patient Property and Valuables section of the website.

Updated July 2025