Staying in hospital can be a daunting prospect for anyone. But you can be assured that we will do our best to make your stay with us as comfortable and stress free as possible.
A warm welcome
At South Tees Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, you can be sure you will receive a warm welcome. At the same time, all our staff are dedicated to providing first class care, which is as efficient and effective as possible, so that you can return home at the earliest opportunity.
We plan your discharge from hospital from the outset, making sure your stay is as short as it can be – something that we believe is as important for your recovery and wellbeing as it is for the effective operation of our hospitals.
Putting you at ease
At South Tees, we understand that small things like the way we talk to you, with a professional but friendly approach, will help to put you at ease. Our staff should introduce themselves to you by name when you first meet, so you are fully aware who is looking after you and their role in your care.
Keeping you fully informed
We know how important it is that you are informed about your medical condition – especially if this is something you will be managing long term. We aim to go over any test results and scans in a thorough yet clear manner. We will also discuss any long-term treatment plan you may require in as much detail as we can with you and any loved ones you may wish to be present.
We will also give you and your loved ones time to ask any questions you may have and signpost you to any support groups or other helpful organisations that can help you to live well with whatever condition you are managing.
It is important to us that you have a positive experience during your stay and your views as well as the input of your loved ones matter. We will always do our best to involve you and your loved ones when it comes to making important decisions about your care in hospital and your future health and wellbeing needs.
We believe it is important family are involved in your care and enable regular visiting, as well as overnight stays for loved ones in some circumstances. Members of staff across all wards will be happy to advise you on the visiting arrangements in their area.
Learning from your experience
If you are unhappy with your care for any reason, we have tried and tested procedures for reporting any concerns and getting things put right as quickly and efficiently as possible. Our patient experience team can be contacted at any time during or after your stay by yourself or loved ones, whether you have compliments or concerns to share.
Getting you home
An important part of the care we provide to you involves ensuring you go home from hospital at the right time for you. When your condition is stable, you are fit enough to leave and all the follow on care and/or support you will need at home is in place, we look forward to being able to discharge you to the place you belong.
Staying active in hospital
Every little bit of activity helps keep you healthy.
Staying in bed for too long, not getting up and about, and not attempting to do what is normal can mean that you struggle to get back to normal levels of activity when you get home.
It’s really important to carry on doing what you were able to do at home, such as washing and dressing or walking to the bathroom. Staying active improves appetite, sleep, mood, muscle tone and lessens the risk of bed sores and falls.
Ask a family member or friend to bring in your shoes, good fitting slippers, day clothes, working hearing aids, glasses and walking stick or frame.
If you are not sure what you can safely do, please ask a member of the healthcare team.
Simple steps to keep you safe
While you are in hospital, keeping you safe and well is a priority for the staff looking after you. There are also some simple things you can do to help keep yourself safe during your hospital stay, such as asking for help when needed, protecting yourself from slips and falls and helping to prevent blood clots.
The NHS England national patient safety team have created a video and leaflet providing tips on keeping yourself safe during your hospital stay which can be accessed using the link below:
Smokefree sites
Please help keep our sites healthy and ask your friends and relatives not to smoke when they are visiting you, especially outside the entrances to our buildings. Thank you.