General Surgical Wards - Welcome to the Elective Orthopaedic Ward

Ward Telephone Number is 0161 778 2514.

Welcome to the Elective Orthopaedic Ward at Fairfield General Hospital

We will do our best to make you and your family/friends as comfortable as possible during your stay with us.

This information leaflet will aim to provide you with enough information to answer any questions or concerns you may have. If there are any questions you may have, please do not hesitate to ask a member of staff on the ward.

If you have any concerns about the care of your relative/friend is receiving, please speak to the nurse in charge or call the urgent concern helpline. To do this you need to contact switchboard on 0161 624 0420 and ask for 1915 to be bleeped.

About the Elective Orthopaedic Ward

The ward is a 26 bedded Elective Orthopaedic Ward which cares for mixed sex patients. It has 4 side wards with female and male and 2 large rooms with 7 beds and a larger room with 8 beds. Each bedside has Patient line TV/Radio and Telephone access.

Bathroom and toilet facilities include equipment for the aid of those with disabilities. 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. Our ward doctors review patients daily with the multidisciplinary team to discuss the patient's treatment and discharge.

We are aware that it is not always possible for you to attend the ward in order to get an update on how the patient is. However, we are also limited to the information we can give out over the telephone, so please bear this in mind when phoning the ward.

Although a doctor may not always be available on the ward, a nurse will always be available to give you any updates regarding the patient.
 
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

• A list of all medication(s) you are currently taking
• Night wear
• Suitable slippers(non-slip)
• Dressing gown
• Comfortable day clothes
• Underwear
• Shoes (avoid backless shoes)

Toiletries

• Hairbrush/comb
• Soap
• Facecloth
• Toothbrush
• Toothpaste/denture cleaner
• Towels
• Tissues
• Shaving equipment
• Deodorant

Mealtimes

We operate a protected mealtime policy. This is to ensure that our patients have an uninterrupted time when they can eat their food in peace and that nursing staff are on hand to help if required. Mealtimes are at:

• Breakfast 8am – 9am
• Lunch 12.30pm – 1.30pm
• Evening meal 5.30pm - 6.30pm

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

We allow two visitors between 4-5pm and 6.30pm - 7.30pm on the day of surgery. After this we operate open visiting between 10am - 7.30pm. In exceptional circumstances visiting can be outside of these hours if discussed with the senior nursing team.

It is 2 visitors per bed and no children under the age of 16. Visitors are also kindly asked not to sit on patient’s bed and armchairs and to use the visitor chairs instead which are provided on the ward. Please can these be returned following visiting.

Your relatives can phone your ward anytime for an update on your progress. It’s a good idea to nominate one family member to be the main point of contact.

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 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

There is a shop on site to purchase food and drinks. There is also a cash machine opposite the shop.

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.

Leaving the hospital

We’ll begin to talk to you about leaving the hospital (being discharged) as soon as possible after your admission, so that we can help prepare you.

Once we’ve agreed your discharge date with you, you’ll need to talk to your family, friends or carers to make arrangements for your return home.

If you feel you may require extra help with things such as washing and dressing or shopping when you go home, tell your nursing staff as soon you can.

On the day, once your doctor has told you that you are able to go home, there are a number of things that need to happen, and it may take some time for all of these to be completed.

To ensure we have beds available for other patients who may need them, we will aim for you to be discharged before lunchtime.

Please make sure you take all your belongings with you, as well as any patient information leaflets, medicines and dressings you may need. You should also be given details of who to contact if you have any queries, along with a copy of your discharge summary which will include a list of medicines you need to take at home.

You should arrange for a friend or family member to collect you from the hospital. If your medical condition means that you need to be transported by ambulance, your nurse will arrange this for you.
 
Once you are ready to go home, you may be transferred to the discharge lounge. This is a place where you wait to be collected by your carers, relatives or by an ambulance.

Please contact the Elective Orthopaedic Ward via telephone on 0161 778 2514 if you have any signs of infection or require any advice or support.

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 14, 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.

Contact Information

Elective Orthopaedic Ward
Fairfield General Hospital
Rochdale Old Road
Bury, BL9 7TD
Telephone Number: 0161 778 2514

Hospital Helpline - Fairfield General Hospital
They now need to contact switchboard on 0161 624 0420 and ask for 1915 to be bleeped.

PALS

Telephone Number: 0161 778 5665
Email: pals@nca.nhs.uk
Address: PALS Department, Unit 7/8 Whitney Court, Southlink Business Park, Hamilton Street, Oldham, OL4 1DB.