This leaflet is your guide to our unit and should help answer any questions you may have.
All our staff welcome you and we hope your stay here will be a positive one. If you cannot find the information you are looking for, then please ask and we will do all we can to help you.
If at any time you wish to speak to anyone about your worries, our staff have an open ear, so please do not be afraid of asking.
We are here to make your stay as comfortable as possible and will collaborate with you, your carers and or relatives to ensure you are discharged to the appropriate place at the appropriate time.
The Acute Medical Unit (AMU) is a 50 bedded unit who pride ourselves on providing the best care possible. We accept referrals from A&E and Same Day Emergency Care (SDEC).
You will be reviewed daily by a medical consultant on ward round. Ward round starts at 9am every day. On a weekend you may be seen slightly later in the day due to not having as many consultants as during the week. However, rest assured you will be seen.
If you have been referred to a speciality for example Stroke, Cardiology or ENT you will be reviewed daily by that speciality’s consultant. There is also a dedicated Acute Medicine junior team who will be visible on the unit helping with consultant ward round and jobs.
There is also a physician of the day who will review patients on AMU between the hours of 5pm and 8pm. There is also a junior doctor based on the unit at nighttime.
Who we are
The Acute Medical Unit is led by Nurse Pam Town and four Ward Managers - Jennifer Dunn, Lauren Retnam, Lauren Harrison and Janet Briscoe.
Our team consists of over 100 nursing staff. These include Ward Sisters/Charge Nurses, Staff Nurses, Nursing Associates, Trainee Nursing Associates, Senior Health Care Support Workers and Health Care Support Workers. We also have many student nurses and nursing cadets that are with us on placement for long periods of time. They will often be in a University of Salford White Tunic (Nursing Students) and a Teal coloured tunic for the cadets.
AMU also has a dedicated pharmacy team, Physiotherapy team, Occupational Therapy and Admin team.
We also work closely with other members of the multi- disciplinary team (MDT) which includes dieticians, speech and language therapists, diabetes nurse specialists, palliative care nurse specialists and tissue viability nurse specialists.
Staff Uniforms
Lead Nurse - Navy tunic and yellow piping
Unit Manager - Navy tunic and white piping
Sister/Charge Nurse - Navy blue tunic and navy piping
Staff Nurse - Royal blue tunic with white piping
Healthcare Support worker - Lilac tunic and white piping
Training Nursing Associate - Beige tunic and white piping
Nursing Associate - blue and white striped tunic
Physiotherapist - white tunic with white and blue piping
Occupational Therapist - white with green piping
Dietitian - White tunic with purple piping
Domestic - Purple tunic
Pharmacists - Green scrubs
Ward Clerk (Female) - Navy and white blouse
Ward Clerk (Male) - Black polo shirt
How we will work with you
- Admission to the ward
- Introduction from your nurse
- Nursing, medical and therapy assessments
- Set care plan, goals and estimated discharge date
- Daily ward rounds
- Various investigations if needed, e.g. scans
- Look at planning your discharge when appropriate
- Confirm discharge date if applicable
- Discharge with appropriate support identified or transfer to an appropriate ward to continue inpatient care
Please note: AMU is an Assessment Unit. The length of stay varies depending on the capacity of the hospital, but should be no longer than 24-48 hours until moved onto another ward if needed.
Visiting Times
Our visiting times on Acute Medical Unit are 10am - 7.30pm.
Our policy is for 2 visitors at the bedside. However, relatives can swap to be able to visit you. Visitors may ask to step away for a short period of time if we require to attend to personal care needs of your relative. We have a relative’s room at the top of our corridor for your visitors to wait in if needed.
There are extenuating circumstances for visitors to visit relatives at any time. If your relative has a cognitive impairment such as dementia, learning disability or is being cared for on the End-of- Life Pathway. Please speak to a member of the AMU team for more information.
If your relative has dementia or a learning disability, sometimes it is calming for them to be able to have a loved one with them to keep them calm and relaxed. We have two types of documentation that we complete for patients with dementia and learning disabilities. This is an individualised document and will help with patient care throughout their stay.
Contact Details
Our ward phone numbers are 0161 778 2507/0161 778 2517
We also have Cisco phones for patients to use to contact their family and friends in the absence of them having a mobile phone.
What Matters to you
Whilst you are an inpatient on AMU you will be asked what matters to you today by the nursing team each morning.
Staff will always introduce themselves and they are around to answer any questions you may have.
If you are unhappy about your care/service that we provide, please voice this to the nurse caring for you who will then notify our nurse in charge/unit manager. We are always wanting feedback on the care we provide to improve our services.
If you are still unhappy about the service/care provided and it is not resolved by our senior management team, then please contact our Patient Advice and Liaison Service on 0161 778 5665 and they will be happy to guide you further.
Food, Nutrition and Mealtimes
Mealtimes are an important part of your day. We provide a wide range of meal options to suit your dietary requirements. We promote visitors at mealtimes to assist with feeding for those who may need assistance.
In the morning, our housekeepers will come around and offer you the choice of food options for that day. We provide Halal, Kosher, Gluten Free and much more. If you have any dietary requirements, please inform our staff so it can be arranged.
Breakfast: 8:30am (Tea, coffee, fresh juice, cereal and toast)
Lunchtime: 12:30pm (Main Menu) You will be provided with a menu to fill out in the morning.
Teatime: 5.30pm (Main Menu) You will be provided with a menu to fill out in the morning
Snacks are available throughout the day if you get hungry. Please ask the nursing team who are looking after you. Meritene is offered throughout the day with hot drinks.
Personal items and hygiene
During your stay, we will try to encourage you to be as independent as you usually are at home. Our staff will assist you with activities that you need help with.
We do ask if possible that you have your own clothes on as much as possible on our unit, whether that be daytime clothes or nightwear as this promotes independence.
We have toiletries and nightwear available for you to use. However, please ask your family/friends to bring in any toiletries you may require that we do not supply or if you prefer your own.
We also provide ear plugs so you can have a restful night’s sleep. Please ask the nursing team who are looking after you if you require some. We provide hairbrushes, soap, shampoo, shower gel, shaving foam, razors, toothbrushes and toothpaste.
We have washing facilities on the unit and try to promote you to use these if they are the best option for you. Our staff will help you assist in washing and dressing and good personal and hand hygiene throughout the day.
We do ask that if you have brought in any valuables that are of sentimental value to please ask friends or family to look after them whilst in hospital. We cannot accept responsibility for any valuables not declared to staff on admission. If you have any large quantities of money, please inform your nurse.
Safety
We are committed to keeping you safe whilst on AMU.
Falling in hospital happens more often than you think. Even if you feel strong, your medicines may change your balance. You might feel fine while you’re sitting, but standing up can make you weak or dizzy. Please call for help using the nurse call bell that is at the bedside.
When you want to get out of bed or use the toilet, please use the call bell.
If you are in pain, dropped something on the floor or worried about anything, again please use the call bell.
We provide nonslip socks for those who do not have adequate footwear to wear whilst in hospital. Please ask one of the nursing team.
Medications
Our nurses will administer your medications at set times of the day. We do ask that if you have your own medications at home, please being them in or have somebody bring them in as we sometimes struggle with certain medications.
We do have pharmacists on the unit throughout most of the day who will carry out a medicines reconciliation, to check which medications you have and which need to be ordered.
We ask that if you or your relative are on any ‘controlled drug medications’ that you let us know, so that we can lock them away in a secure place until you are discharged or moved to another ward. Alternatively, your family member or visitor could take them home with them if you don’t want them locked away.
If you feel like you can dispense your own regular medications, please speak to the doctors or nurses to make sure they have not been suspended or stopped whilst you are with us.
Please be aware that some medications may look different in hospital to what you have at home. If you have any queries, please ask your nurse.
Transferring to other wards
As we are an Assessment Unit, your stay will often be short.
This means you will be reviewed by a consultant and be transferred to the speciality that you require.
We aim to get you moved to your speciality within 24-48 hours.
These wards include:
Cardiology - Ward 2
Stroke - Ward 5
ENT - Ward 8
General Medical - Ward 9
Intensive Care Unit - Ward 10
Acute Care Respiratory Unit - Ward 11
Stroke Rehab - Ward 20 and 21
Discharge Unit and Lounge - Ward 24
Your family members will be informed if you are moved to a new ward.
Any questions or worries please speak to the nursing team that are looking after you, we are happy to help.
Discharge Process
Whilst you are on AMU you will be spoken to about the discharge process. This is so that we can prepare you for discharge home. If you feel that you need social support i.e.: Package of care, equipment for your home, physiotherapy or occupational therapy then please make a member of the AMU aware. We have dedicated transfer of care nurses that will take care of your social concerns.
Once you are deemed medically fit for discharge you will often be transferred to ward 24 to wait for social input. However, if you are medically fit for discharge and not requiring any social support you will be transferred to the discharge lounge which is situated on ward 24 whilst you wait for your take home medications. The staff on ward 24 will organise patient transport home for you if your family/friends are unable to collect you from hospital.
If you require referrals to other services, this will be completed prior to discharge, and you will receive letters in the post regarding appointments that have been made by our medical team.
Lastly, please ensure that you inform staff of the need for district nurse referrals for any care you will require when at home. This may be wound care management, insulin administration or catheter care.
Thank you for taking your time to read the above and if you have any questions please speak to a member of the AMU Team.
Date of Review: June 2024
Date of Next Review: June 2026
Ref No: PI_M_1950 (Bury)