General Medical Wards - Welcome to Ward 5 - Acute Stroke Ward

Ward Manager: Alison Lageard

Ward Telephone Number: 0161 918 8673

About Ward 5

Ward 5 is a 27 bedded Acute Stroke Ward which cares for mixed sex patients. It has 4 side wards with female and male and 4 larger rooms with 6 beds. Each bedside has Patient line TV/Radio and Telephone access.

Bathroom and toilet facilities include equipment for the aid of those with disabilities. Each bed has a pressure-relieving overlay mattress and there are additional specialised pressure-relieving aids available for high risk patients. There are nurse call alarm lights by each bed.

Admission

All patients are first welcomed to the ward. Staff will ask how they would like to be addressed e.g. Mr, Mrs or first name. A detailed assessment, in the form of a friendly question and answer session, is then made by a member of the nursing staff. This is only done if your condition permits. Relatives or friends may be able to answer questions for you. The treatment you require will also be explained at this time. Please ask any questions you wish. Any information about your illness or stay in the hospital will be treated in strict confidence.

If you are taking any medications, it is important to bring these to our attention on admission.

Staff

The ward is divided into a team of nurses. You will be informed of the nurse taking care of you on each particular shift. There are a number of nurses specialised in particular areas who share their expertise with the rest of the team nurses.

During your stay you will be under the care of a named consultant and their team of doctors who will be responsible for your care and treatment during your stay in hospital. Consultants have 2 ward rounds per week.

Relatives are encouraged to inform us should they wish to meet with a doctor or consultant to enable us to arrange this.

Where possible, appointment times are allocated to avoid prolonged waits. Other consultants within the hospital will attend when their specialty is needed.

As well as doctors and nurses, other professionals may be involved in your care. This includes:

• Physiotherapists
• Occupational Therapists
• Speech and Language Therapists
• Dieticians
• Social Workers

If you have any questions, the nursing staff are available at any time to discuss this with you. If you would like to see a doctor, please ask the nurse in charge for help in this matter.

What you will need during your hospital stay

Clothes:

• Night wear
• Suitable slippers
• Dressing gown
• Day clothes and shoes

Toiletries:

• Hairbrush/comb
• Soap
• Facecloth
• Toothbrush
• Toothpaste/denture cleaner
• Towels
• Tissues
• Shaving equipment
• Please avoid aerosols due to Fire/Health and Safety risks

Mealtimes

We operate a protected mealtime that enables patients to enjoy their meals without disturbance.

• Continental Breakfast: 8am - 9am
• Lunch: 12 noon - 1pm
• Evening Meal: 5pm - 5.45pm

Drinks are provided throughout the day as well as with meals.
 
The ward lights are switched off at approximately 11pm, but night lights and bedside lights are available.

Visitors

Visiting times are currently 10am- 7.30pm. This allows you the flexibility of visiting all day. Should you be unable to visit during these times, please speak to the nurse in charge. Please be aware that staff will be busy providing care and you may be asked to step out while they are with a patient.

We ask that if possible visiting is avoided during mealtimes to allow our patients to enjoy their meals with some privacy.

Due to health and safety it is strictly 2 visitors at a time. This also helps to maintain other patients privacy and dignity. In special circumstances we may allow more visitors but this must be agreed with the nurse in charge prior to visiting.

Please check with the nurse in charge should you wish to bring children onto the ward.

Visitors chairs are provided on the ward, please use these and refrain from sitting on the beds.

Going home

The doctors will decide when you are fit to go home. You may require further rehabilitation. In this case you may be transferred to the Stroke Stepdown/Rehabilitation Ward. Your discharge will be planned with you and where relevant, your family and any other members of the hospital multidisciplinary team that you may require.

If you have any worries about going home please speak to the nurse in charge. Please do not hesitate to ring the ward. We will be happy to help if you have any problems once you are at home.

Spiritual Care Team

Chaplains are available from different denominations and faiths and are supported by a team of volunteers. You can see a chaplain at any time and the nursing team can arrange this for you.

There is a Christian chapel is available to all who wish to pray or be quiet.

There is also a prayer room with a women’s area (which is regularly used for Muslim prayers) and a Shabbos room.

These facilities are all open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

General Information

Patients must accept responsibility for any valuables kept in their possession, but any items of value may be deposited in the hospital safe, or as a temporary measure, in the ward safe.

Tell us what you think about your stay

Feedback is of high importance to us and we value the opportunity to hear your thoughts regarding your stay! To help us improve our service we encourage patients and carers to complete a ‘Friends & Family Test’ survey when you leave our ward. The comments our patients give get reviewed on a monthly basis and are a really valuable way of getting feedback on how we are doing and what we could improve on.

Compliments, concerns and complaints

A positive patient experience is very important to all the staff. We always welcome and encourage feedback whether it is good or bad.

If you have any concerns or complaints regarding your stay on Ward 5, please feel free ask to speak to your nurse or ward manager. If you feel unable to communicate your complaint with ward staff, the Trust has the Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS) which is a confidential service that provides help, advice and information for patients, families and carers. You can contact PALS by ringing 0161 604 5897.

Contact Information

Ward 5 – Acute Stroke Unit, Fairfield General Hospital, Rochdale Old Road, Bury, BL9 7TD
Telephone Number: 0161 918 8673

Hospital Helpline - Fairfield General Hospital
Telephone Number: 07970 199235

PALS

PALS Department, The Northern Care Alliance NHS Foundation Trust, Unit 7/8 Whitney Court, Southlink Business Park, Hamilton Street, Oldham, OL4 1DB
Telephone: 0161 778 5665
Email: pals@nca.nhs.uk
Or you can drop into one of the PALS Offices on site. The PALS departments are open between 9.30am and 4.30pm, Monday to Friday.