Patient Guide
Welcome Thank you for choosing Holly House Hospital for your forthcoming treatment. We recognise that coming into hospital is, for most people, a daunting experience. This guide aims to make it a little less daunting by familiarising you with our hospital and providing all the information you will need before your stay either as a day patient or for longer stays. We hope that it will answer most of your questions, but if not please do not hesitate to contact us. Located on the borders of London, Essex and Hertfordshire in the midst of Epping Forest, Holly House Hospital has been one of the leading private hospitals in the area for over 35 years. Although we primarily treat private patients (both insured and self-pay) we do also offer some services to patients on behalf of the NHS. As an NHS patient you are guaranteed the same high standards of nursing care and friendly atmosphere for which Holly House is renowned. Holly House is a 50-bed hospital providing a wide range of services including outpatient clinics and treatment in most medical specialties, diagnostic imaging, screening, physiotherapy, Private GP services, pharmacy, fertility, weight-loss, cosmetic surgery and pathology. The hospital is part of Aspen Healthcare, ensuring continuous investment in our technology, staff, training and facilities. We work with over 200 of the most experienced consultants and other specialists locally, many of whom also have substantive posts within the NHS. They are granted the right to practice at Holly House on the basis of meeting exacting criteria, overseen by our Medical Advisory Committee. We are registered with the Care Quality Commission and bound by The Health & Social Care Act 2008, which governs all independent hospitals, nursing homes and other residential units. We undergo regular inspections by the Commission in order to retain this registration, if you would like to view previous inspection reports on Holly House, please contact the Commission at: Care Quality Commission National Correspondence Citygate Gallowgate Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 4PA Tel: 03000 616161 www.cqc.org.uk
Preparing for your stay Before you come into hospital for treatment, it is vital that you follow any individual instructions given in your confirmation letter sent with this booklet. For example, you may be required to refrain from eating and/or drinking prior to your operation. Please also observe any directions regarding x-rays, blood tests or other tests before admission. Your consultant will advise whether you should continue to take any regular medication prior to your operation. If you are in any doubt please contact us on 020 8936 1200. Please also contact us if you are currently taking any blood thinning medication, i.e. Warfarin, Clopidogrel/Plavix or Aspirin, or if you have a pacemaker fitted to provide us with details of the type. With this booklet you should also have received a pre-admission questionnaire which needs to be completed and returned to us in the pre-paid envelope provided before your stay. Please ensure you return the questionnaire as your surgery may have to be cancelled if it is not received, as we use the information provided to assess your healthcare requirements. Pre-operative assessment clinic Depending on the surgery you are having, you may be required to attend a pre-operative assessment clinic to ensure your suitability for anaesthesia. This will normally be carried out by one of our outpatient nurses approximately four days before your procedure. We also need to know if you or a member of your family has been an inpatient at another hospital within the last six months, or if you are a resident in a nursing home. If so, you will need to be screened for MRSA before you come into hospital. Special requirements If you have any special language, religious or dietary requirements, we will do our best to accommodate your needs but please let us know in advance by calling us on 020 8936 1200. W hat to bring with you Nightwear, dressing gown and slippers. Casual clothing to wear towards the end of your recuperation or during any post-operative physiotherapy. Warm clothing as although the hospital is warm the process of undergoing surgery can reduce your temperature. Personal toiletries (although towels will be provided). Books or magazines to read during your stay. Any medication you are currently taking in the original labelled containers. Any relevant x-rays you may have. We strongly recommend that you do not bring any valuables, jewellery, large amounts of cash, credit cards or cheque book, as the Hospital cannot accept any responsibility for valuables kept on the premises. Your stay On arrival Your time of arrival will have been confirmed in your admission letter. Whilst your time of admission does not always determine the time of your operation, it is important that you arrive on time as your consultant and anaesthetist will want to meet you before your operation. We have free parking for patients and visitors onsite at the hospital. However, patients are usually advised not to drive for 24 hours after surgery so we would recommend you ask a relative or friend to drop you off and collect you again on departure. On arrival, please report to reception. We will confirm your admission details but please remind us of any specific dietary or religious requirements. From there we will show you to one of our patient bedrooms or our day care unit, where you can settle in and make yourself comfortable. Catering We cater for all dietary requirements including vegetarian, kosher, halal and gluten-free. A waitress will visit you to advise you on the menu choices and take your order. Meals and drinks are usually served at the following times: Breakfast Morning coffee Lunch Afternoon tea Dinner Night-time drink 8am 10am 12.30pm 3pm 6pm 9pm But, we will also always try to cater for your needs outside these times. Visitors Friends and relatives are welcome to visit you at any time throughout the day up until 10pm. We do ask that all visitors report to the Nurses Station on arrival, so that we can ensure visits do not disturb your treatment or recovery. Visitors are also welcome to join you for meals or drinks, any such items will be charged to your account. M obile phones You may use mobile phones in the hospital unless specifically asked not to by a member of staff. However, most patient rooms also have a direct dial telephone for which any calls will be charged to your account, for payment upon departure. You also have access to free Wi-Fi in the hospital. Accessing Wi-Fi at Holly House Hospital Connect to HH_GUEST from your available wireless connections. Once connected you will need to open a browser window and start browsing, any security warnings that appear are normal and clicking continue should then forward you to the Guest Internet Portal where there are further instructions for connection. Patient Relations If you have any non-clinical issues or requests during your stay, please contact the Patient Relations team on x4305 (Mon-Fri 9am-5pm). Smoking Holly House is a non-smoking site. Patients and visitors are not permitted to smoke anywhere within the hospital building or grounds.
Your operation Your rights We observe your rights under the Human Rights Act 1998, the Access to Health Records Act 1990 and the Data Protection Act 1998, and believe that you and all patients within our care have the right: to seek advice regarding any concerns or queries you may have. to be given clear and full explanations of any proposed treatment before deciding whether to consent. to seek a second opinion on your diagnosis and/or treatment by asking your GP for another referral. to have access to your own health records. to be assured that all entries within the health record are confidential. to raise suggestions and complaints about any aspect of the service you feel does not meet our high standards. to request any facilities not available which we will do our best to provide for you. to be assured your privacy and dignity are maintained. Consenting to surgery Consultants and nursing staff need your consent before examining or treating you. Usually you can simply tell them whether you agree but if your treatment involves sedation or a general anaesthetic you will be asked to sign a consent form (you can withdraw your consent if you later change your mind even after signing). People s attitudes vary on things like the amount of risk or pain they are prepared to accept. That also applies to the amount of information; you may prefer not to know about certain aspects of your procedure. However, your consultant must ensure that you know enough to enable you to decide about treatment. They will write information on the consent form and discuss the choices of treatment with you. If you do not want to be given a blood transfusion during or after your surgery, you can specify this on your consent form. Please also ensure that you mention this and any other procedures that you do not want to happen, to your nurse or consultant. Preparing for surgery Before your operation one of the nurses will check your blood pressure, pulse, temperature and weight. Your consultant and anaesthetist will also visit you to confirm your medical history and answer any remaining pre-operative questions you may have. It is important that you tell them about any illnesses or allergies you have or have suffered from in the past. You will need to remove any nail varnish, nail extensions and cosmetics before your operation. Plain wedding bands may be worn but will need to be covered with surgical tape, other jewellery including body piercings will preferably need to be removed. A nurse will inform you when you should change into your operating gown and also put an identity bracelet on your wrist ready for surgery. If you have any allergies your identity bracelet will be red to highlight this. Once ready, you will be accompanied to theatre by a nurse, porter or a member of theatre staff. Most patients walk to theatre, however, if you feel this will not be possible please tell the nurse. Anaesthesia If your treatment involves regional (only a specific area of the body is anaesthetised) or general anaesthesia, you will have been visited in your room by your anaesthetist to discuss it in advance and ask any questions. Regional anaesthetic numbs a specific area of the body via an injection into the nerves that supply that part of the body, temporarily preventing the body from registering pain. For example, spinal anaesthesia is used for operations below the waist or in the pelvic region. An epidural uses a similar technique but a narrow plastic tube (cannula) is left in position near to the nerves in your back. This enables the anaesthetist to increase the dose as needed without further injections and can be useful post-operatively for providing pain relief. With a general anaesthetic you will receive an injection of an anaesthetic drug through a cannula into a vein, usually in the back of your hand, to induce unconsciousness. To maintain this unconsciousness, the anaesthetist gives a mixture of oxygen and anaesthetic gases to breathe throughout the operation. It is sometimes necessary for muscle-relaxing drugs to be given to enable the consultant to perform the operation by relaxing the body s natural muscle tone, which is present even when asleep. When a muscle relaxant is used, the muscles responsible for breathing are effectively paralysed and your anaesthetist will have to control your breathing. To do this, a plastic tube is inserted into the windpipe and a ventilator machine used to inflate and deflate the lungs in an accurate and controlled rhythm. Your anaesthetist will also use strong painkilling drugs mixed with an anti-sickness drug to control pain and nausea during and after surgery. Modern anaesthesia is very safe with several million general anaesthetics performed each year in the UK without complication.
However, minor complications can include: Sickness or feeling sick after the operation - please let your anaesthetist know if this has happened to you previously after surgery so they can adjust your anti-sickness medication accordingly. Sore throat (due to the presence of the plastic tube if inserted during your anaesthetic) - which will get better quickly. Headache - not usually severe and can be treated with paracetamol. Muscle and back pain - due to being in one position for a long time. Dental damage to front teeth or crowns - please let your anaesthetist know if you have any loose teeth, crowns or bridgework. After your surgery, you will wake up in the theatre recovery area where you will be looked after by a recovery nurse before going back to your room. Samples Some operations involve removing a part of the body (such as a gall bladder or tooth) or taking samples of blood or tissue for further analysis. You should always be told in advance if samples are likely to be taken, and your permission will be obtained if samples are to be stored or retained. In the interests of safety, no tissue, specimens or implants removed during a procedure can be returned to patients. Photographs and videos As part of your treatment some kind of photographic record may be made for example x-rays, clinical photographs or sometimes a video. These will be kept with your notes and held in confidence as part of your medical record. We will not use your photographs or videos in a way that might allow you to be identified without your express permission.
Your recovery In order to protect your privacy and confidentiality, our staff are unable to give out any information about your condition over the telephone. However, your friends and family can telephone the ward and their call will be transferred to your room. During your hospital stay, it is your consultant who will continue to take personal responsibility for directing your care and treatment, in discussion with you. The hospital also has a resident doctor, known as an RMO (Resident Medical Officer) who is on site 24 hours a day. Nurses work different shift patterns but care for specific patients each day and will always introduce themselves to you at the beginning of their shift and will then visit you at regular intervals. M edical emergencies Amongst the 25,000 operations taking place every day in the UK, serious complications are very rare but sometimes things do not go as they should. Although your consultant should inform you and your family, often it is the patient who is the first to notice something amiss. If you are worried, for example about the after-effects of an operation continuing much longer than you were told to expect, please do not hesitate to speak to your nurse. We have staff on duty at all times, including a Resident Medical Officer (RMO), who are trained and experienced in managing any medical situation that may arise within a hospital environment. Should a serious complication occur that necessitates the need for critical care facilities, we have arrangements in place with the local NHS hospital trusts and would transfer you there for them to take over your care. We would, of course, maintain contact with the trust to monitor your progress. Going home Your consultant or nurse will advise how long you will need to stay in hospital for. Please note, we ask you to vacate your room by 10am on the day of discharge. If you need to take any medication following your departure, this will be given to you when you leave. Your consultant will also send a detailed letter to your GP explaining your treatment, medication and any required aftercare. We strongly recommend that you ask a friend or relative to collect you, as you should not drive your car for at least 24 hours after surgery. Alternatively, we can book a taxi for you. As you leave, please settle your account at our Front Reception, any personal items (such as telephone calls or visitors meals) will need to be paid for before leaving the hospital. Follow-up care If you need to see your consultant again following your discharge, an outpatient appointment will be made before you leave or you will be notified of your appointment as soon as possible after your discharge. Following your discharge, if you have any concerns or questions please telephone our 24hr helpline on 020 8936 1228 and speak to one of our qualified nurses. Your feedback We always welcome feedback from patients, positive or negative, as this helps us maintain and improve our high standards of care. At the end of your stay we would be grateful if you would take the time to complete the short, confidential questionnaire which will be given to you on admission. Please hand it to a member of staff before you leave or return it in the FREEPOST envelope provided. We also have comment and suggestion boxes available throughout the hospital in our patient waiting areas and on the ward. How to complain We do hope not but if you are unhappy with any aspect of your care or the hospital, please speak to a member of staff straight away so that we can do our best to put things right for the remainder of your time with us. If you remain unhappy, please do not hesitate to ask to speak with the Hospital Director or another senior manager to discuss your concerns. If after your visit, you wish to make a written complaint please direct your letter to: The Hospital Director Holly House Hospital High Road Buckhurst Hill Essex IG9 5HX Your letter will be acknowledged in writing within two working days and an investigation will begin into your complaint. You should receive our response within 20 working days but if our investigations take longer, we will keep you informed. Upon receipt of our response, you can contact the Hospital Director who may arrange an appointment to meet with you or discuss your concerns over the telephone. It is always our intention to resolve matters amicably but if you remain unsatisfied, you may write to: The Chief Executive Aspen Healthcare Centurion House 37 Jewry Street London EC3N 3ER Alternatively, you may wish to contact the Care Quality Commission, see page 3 for their details.
If you would like a copy of this leaflet in large print or an alternative language, please call 020 8936 1214 By Tube Buckhurst Hill Station (Central Line) is approximately a 20 minute walk to the hospital. Alternatively, both Buckhurst Hill Station and nearby Woodford Station (Central Line) have a taxi rank. By Bus Bus routes 20, 397 and 167 all stop nearby the Hospital. By Air The nearest airports are London City and London Stansted (30 minutes away).london Heathrow and London Gatwick are approximately 1 hour away. By Car Ample free car parking onsite. Holly House Hospital, High Road, Buckhurst Hill, Essex IG9 5HX Tel: 020 8505 3311 www.hollyhouse-hospital.co.uk Holly House Hospital is part of Aspen Healthcare Ltd @HollyHouseHosp 03/2015