Coming into Hospital

Please bring your admission letter and contact details for your GP and next of kin. You will also need to bring:

• Any medicines, inhalers, glasses and hearing aids that you use
• Any mobility aids you use (if you forget, please ask a friend or relative to bring them in for you)
• A small bag containing your toiletries, night clothes and some comfortable day clothes

Do not bring any alcohol, illegal drugs or tobacco. The hospital is a no smoking area and drugs and alcohol can interfere with your care.

Do not bring valuables or large amounts of money. We cannot accept responsibility for any items that are not handed in for safe keeping during your stay.

Airedale Hospital and Community Charity, the official NHS charity for Airedale NHS Foundation Trust, has benefited from an NHS Charities Together grant to fund two ChargeBoxFAST charging stations, each costing £12,000.

The units provide 30 minutes of free, fast charging for all mobile devices and can be used by patients, visitors, and staff at Airedale Hospital.

One box has been installed in the hospital’s main entrance, which is a central location for the wards, and the other is located in the Emergency Department (ED) where people may spend lengthy amounts of time waiting..

You will be cared for by a multi-professional team including:

• A consultant and their team of doctors
• Nurses and nursing support staff
• Other members of the team such as physiotherapists, occupational therapists, dietitians, pharmacists and porters.

You can identify most staff by the colour of their uniforms. If you are not sure who someone is, please ask them.

You can watch the videos below to see what to expect from the nurses, midwives and health care support workers who will be caring for you.

If you’re coming in for surgery and want to know more about what to expect during your patient journey you can visit our special site here to find out more.

It has information on your experience with us including before your appointment, your arrival, on the ward, anaesthesia, surgery and recovery.

There are videos from our team and patient stories to help you understand your care.

There is also a video on how we support people with disabilities.

We expect all our staff to be friendly and easy to talk to. Staff should always tell you their name, and if you have not met them before, what their job is.

All staff wear an identity badge which gives their name, occupation and picture.

If you have any worries, questions or problems, please talk to the nurse in charge of your ward, who will be able to help you.

You know yourself or your loved one better than anyone. If you’re worried that a health condition is getting worse whilst in hospital, please talk to us.

We have introduced Martha’s Rule to help spot any unexpected signs of deterioration early. It gives you the right to request a second review if you are concerned you, or your loved one, is becoming more unwell.

You may notice small changes before they appear in our routine measurements. These changes could be early warning signs of deterioration.

How we monitor patients​
While someone is in hospital, we regularly check their vital signs (blood pressure, heart rate etc) and other important health indicators. The frequency of these checks will depend on the patient’s individual condition and needs. Sometimes patients may need to be woken for these assessments.

We will ask at least once a day whether patients are feeling better or worse. This helps us monitor any unexpected changes in their condition.

Your role is vital

You can help us detect the early signs of deterioration by telling us if you notice:

• Changes in temperature – hot or cold to the touch
• Worsening pain
• Any changes to the skin (e.g. rash)
• Low energy, drowsy or sleepy
• Levels of hydration
• Changes in breathing
• New confusion
• Anything else that worries you, including if something just doesn’t seem right- even if you can’t quite put your finger on it.

Sharing these concerns with our staff can help us act early and prevent more serious health problems.

What to do if you’re worried

First, speak to the team caring for you or your loved one.

If, after speaking to the team, you remain worried and feel your concerns are not being addressed, please call 01535 295421 for a second review.  This number is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Find out more about Martha’s Rule

NHS England » Martha’s Rule

We will provide you with breakfast, lunch and evening meal at your bedside each day. A choice of portion sizes is available.

Drinks are served on the ward throughout the day. There will always be water available at your bedside.

Cakes and biscuits are provided twice a day, and snacks are available 24 hours a day.

Special and therapeutic diets are also catered for. Please let ward staff know if you have any dietary needs.

We encourage family members to come and help feed their loved ones at meal times. We also have volunteer mealtime assistants.

We will tell you the date and time that we expect you to go home from hospital as soon as we can.  This is called your ‘expected date of discharge’. We will let you know if this changes.

We are committed to providing care centred around the individual needs of each person.

This includes people with disabilities or sensory impairments, people who speak languages other than English, and people with dementia.

We will involve you, your family and carers in assessing your needs and planning your care.

We want to make sure that you have access to information you can understand, communication support when you need it, and any other support to keep you safe in hospital.

Let us know what your needs are as soon as you can. Then we can put the right support in place for you, your family and carers.

Our hospital is committed to meeting the communication and support needs of our patients and their carers. We have developed a communication toolkit to help support conversations between staff and patients using pictures and symbols.

‘How do you communicate?‘

If you, or a person you care for, has dementia, delirium or other
communication difficulties, moving to an unfamiliar place or meeting
new people can be unsettling or distressing.

This is me® can help to reduce this distress. It helps health and social care professionals build a better understanding of you, or the person you care for, to be able to deliver the best care possible.

This is me can be completed and updated anytime by either
yourself or the people who are supporting you. Many people like to
complete the tool as an activity with their carers or family members,
as it can bring up enjoyable memories and conversations.

This is me can be used alongside care plans and taken to
unfamiliar or new places, such as hospitals and care homes.
It is not a medical document

You can get download it here: 1553 This is me

You can watch Laura explaining the service here:

https://www.facebook.com/share/v/1EEbebaCr8/?mibextid=wwXIfr

• You can use the Easyhealth website to find health information that is easy to read and understand.
• We can print easy read leaflets for you from other health websites.
• We can also help you to order easy read books and dvds on health topics.
• Just get in touch.

If you are a patient at Airedale Hospital or in the community, or a member of your family is and you have served in the Armed Forces, please let a member of staff know. You should also inform your GP.

Contact us: Anhsft.armedforcessupport@nhs.net

Information packs are available in the PALS office room, Location B2.

To read more about  how we support veterans and those serving in the Forces go to our Armed Forces page here.

Getting yourself in shape before your surgery is important, as it will positively impact on how well your surgery goes and your recovery afterwards.

We have a plan to support you along the way.

On this site you will find lots of information and you will hear from some of the team you might meet when you come into hospital for surgery.

Living Well aims to make the healthy option, the easy option, for people living in Bradford District.

Our goal is to help you live a longer, healthier and more active life.

We want to help encourage you, and everyone across the district, to make small changes to your everyday life that can improve health and wellbeing.

If you would like more information and support to improve your wellbeing, then we can help! Visit our website for support with maintaining a healthy weight, becoming physically active, stopping smoking, and more!

mylivingwell.co.uk

https://localoffer.bradford.gov.uk/