Whipps Cross University Hospital

Meal Times and Refreshments

Your nutritional needs will be catered for as part of your medical care.

During your stay you will be served three light meals a day, usually between the following times:

Breakfast:  8.00am - 8.45am

Lunch:  12.45pm - 2.00pm 

Dinner:  5.45pm - 7.00pm

There is a set menu but you will have a choice of vegetarian or meat.  On you admission day, and in some other circumstances, it may not be possible to offer you a choice.  Please tell the ward staff if you are served an unsuitable meal.

Some wards have drink-dispensing or vending machines if you want a hot drink.  Alternatively, you could ask a member of staff.

If you miss a meal

Remind the ward staff if you have missed a meal (for example, by having an x-ray away from the ward) and they will provide you with a snack.

Special Diets

Kosher or Halal dishes, vegetarian or diabetic meals are ordered as soon as you are settled on the ward.

Refreshments for Visitors

Although we are unable to provide drinks for visitors on the wards, some wards do have drink-dispensing or vending machines.  Family and friends (but not inpatients) can use the staff restaurant which is in the Red Zone.  It features an all-day breakfast bar, pizza/pasta station, a carvery and a salad bar offering a range of healthy options.

Restaurant opening hours:  7.00am to 2.00pm

The night vending area (see map) is open 24 hours a day.

The staff restaurant can also be used by friends and families of patients.

Next door, the coffee lounge provides a range of pastries, snacks, cappuccino, hot chocolate, coffee and speciality teas.  It is open Monday to Friday from 2.00pm until 8.00pm.

Spiritual Needs and Social Care

Everyone has spiritual needs whether or not they have a religious belief.  Our aim is to provide for the spiritual care of patients, relatives and staff.

The hospital's Imam, Haroon Rashid Patel, is on site as is Frances Moore, one of the hospital's Chaplains.

Coming into hospital can be a difficult experience.  We would all like to help make your stay as easy as possible.  We believe that everyone has spiritual needs, whether or not they have a religious faith.

We want to provide for your spiritual care, which could include:

• helping to reduce stress or anxiety
• listening or counselling
• sympathy and understanding
• support for relatives and staff
• simply being with you
• exploring such as issues as "Why me?" and "Why now?"

Religious Care

For some people, spirituality is expressed in a religious way.  Members of the Chaplaincy team are available if you need:

• a visit from your own faith community
• prayer
• Holy Communion
• Halal or Kosher food
• to talk about your faith

If you would like to speak to a Chaplain, please complete a chaplaincy referral leaflet.  They are available on all wards or at The Retreat (formerly the 'chapel').  The Chaplaincy office at junction 3 has a supply too.  Or ask a member of the nursing staff.

Your Social Care

If you have a personal worry or concern, please talk to your named nurse (or midwife).  The hospital can give you details on a wide range of voluntary and advisory services if you need them.

If you are concerned about your home circumstances, you may like to see one of the hospital social workers about it.  Ask a member of the nursing staff.

Our volunteers provide their time free, at times that suit both them and the hospital, to help across a range of services in the wards, in offices and on hospital radio.

Volunteers in Partnership Programme

Based in the main entrance at junction 1 of the main corridor, this is a community project.  We welcome new volunteers who would like to use their skills and experience to enhance the hospital's services.

Volunteers are given pre-employment checks, just like our staff, before starting work.  There is no upper age limit but volunteers are given a health assessment and then suited to the type of work most appropiate for them.

Prospective volunteers should phone for an application pack on
020 8535 6772 or internal extension 5615.

Your Security

All staff wear an identity badge with their name and photograph on it.  Do not allow anyone without one to do anything to you or your property.  If you see anyone behaving in a suspicious manner, please tell any member of staff.

A wide range of security measures are in force at the hospital for your safety and protection including 24-hour video surveillance cameras.  All wards have security doors with buzzer intercoms for access.  Visitors must not allow entry to anyone they do not know.  Doors must be shut firmly behind them to prevent anyone gaining unauthorised access to an area.

Access at Night

Between 9.30pm and 6.30am, entrances to the hospital buildings are locked.  Anyone visiting the hospital must either use the main pedestrian entrance (in the Orange Zone) or the Accident & Emergency entrance in the Red Zone (open 24 hours a day).  Click here to go to the location finder.

Valuables

Do not bring large sums of money or valuable items into the hospital.  If you have to bring something valuable, make sure it is locked in the General Office safe (in the Orange Zone).  The Trust cannot accept responsibility for any damage or loss of personal property, or for any items of value that have not been locked in the General Office safe (open Monday to Friday, 9am - 5pm).  Click here for a map of the hospital

Violence and Aggression

The Trust is committed to providing a safe and secure environment, free of violence and aggression.  It whole-heartedly supports the Government's zero-tolerance campaign and will not accept any act of violence or aggression towards any member of its staff. 

Incidents of verbal or physical abuse, threats or assaults will be dealt with by calling the Security Officer, or police if necessary, and the Trust will instigate prosecution proceedings if appropriate.

Leaving Hospital

After your treatment, you may be able to return home but may need further treatment as an outpatient.  If you do not need further treatment, you will be able to return home.  This called "being discharged". 

We try to plan your discharge arrangements well in advance.

During your treatment, a doctor or nurse (or midwife) will discuss with you a date to leave Whipps Cross, either to go home, or to another hospital, or to a residential or nursing home.

On the day of discharge, you may want to arrange for a relative or friend to take you home.  If you need a taxi, the ward clerk can find out the cost for you and call one.

If you have a disability or special needs and you need an ambulance or car to take you home, you should speak to your named nurse (or midwife) when discussing your discharge arrangements.  He or she will try to arrange this for you.

With your agreement, we will involve your next of kin or your carer in the discussions about your discharge to ensure your recovery continues safely when you leave hospital.

Discharge Lounge

The hospital has a discharge lounge which allows patients to relax, away from the ward, while they are waiting to be discharged.  It also allows the ward staff to prepare for the next patient.

The discharge lounge is in the Orange Zone of the hospital by the main entrance at junction 1 of the main corridor.  Click here for a map of the hospital.  It has toilets, hot and cold drinks, light snacks, magazines and a television.

A qualified nurse will ensure patients leave the hospital safely and volunteers will be available to help if necessary.

The discharge lounge - open from 8.30am until 6pm, Monday to Friday - is still part of the hospital with full access to healthcare professionals, including doctors, nurses, therapists and wards.

Items you may need to take with you:

When you leave hospital you may be given important information, such as:

• An outpatient appointment letter
• A discharge letter for your family doctor
• A medical certificate for your employer (ask the ward clerk)

And don't forget...

• Any prescribed medicines
• Your personal belongings
• Any valuables that were kept in the General Office safe.  Items can be collected any weekday, 9.15am - 4.45pm
  Follow Up Treatment
  
  The ward team will provide you with information about looking after yourself at home and about any medicines you have been prescribed.

If you need any further tests of investigations, the details will be sent to you.

Infection Control

Sometimes patients suspected of carrying a germ which may be a risk to other patients - or themselves - are moved into side rooms of the ward.  At other times it is necessary to move patients into Acacia Ward, our isolation unit, on the first floor by junction 8.  Click here to go to the location finder.

Footwear and Falls

If you have been admitted unexpectedly via A&E, you may not be wearing footwear appropriate for your stay on a hospital ward.  Inappropriate or poorly fitting footwear is one of the major causes of falls.  Slippers are available from the physiotherapy department (click here to go to the location finder) at a very reasonable cost.  Ask any nurse about this.

Standards in the NHS

The NHS Plan and Your Guide to the NHS states that during your stay in hospital:

• All patient areas, visitors' toilets, outpatient  and accident and emergency units wil be kept clean.
  
• In most cases, you will be offered treatment in single-sex accommodation.
  
• Your nutritional needs and dietary requirements will be assessed (for medical, religious or cultural reasons).
  
• You will be provided with a variety of good food and given any help that you need to eat or order your meals.

This information is from Your Guide to the NHS.  For a copy phone the Health Literature Line on 0800 555 777 (8am to 6pm).  Also available in many other languages, braille and audio cassette.