Information for carers of people admitted to Longridge Hospital

Introduction

It can be a difficult experience to know that someone you love and care for needs to be admitted to hospital. You may need both information and support to be able to help them now that they are in hospital.

Equally, our staff need to work in partnership with you. We need your commitment, expertise and experience to achieve the best results for our patients. This booklet explains how care is delivered, how carers will be included and how your needs will be met. It gives details of where you can find further support and information.

More detailed information about the specific ward you are visiting can be found in the ward’s welcome booklet. The welcome booklet is also available to patients and other ward visitors, and contains information such as visiting and meal times, directions and items that can and cannot be taken onto the ward.

Useful information

This booklet contains information that should be useful to you as a carer of someone staying at Longridge Hospital. If you have any questions please speak to a member of staff and they will be happy to help. Staff will also fill in details below for you:

The ward name is:
Telephone number:
The Carers Champion for the ward is:
The Ward Manager is:
Telephone number:
The Deputy Ward Manager is:
Telephone number:
The Ward Administrator is:
Telephone number:
The patients Primary Nurse is:
Telephone number:
The patients GP is telephone number:
The Pharmacy telephone number is:

Other useful contact numbers can be found within the booklet.

Who is a carer?

A carer is usually a family member, partner, friend or neighbour who provides help and support to someone. In this leaflet a carer is described as someone who provides practical and emotional support to another person.

How can carers work with ward staff?

Carers are the people who really know the people they care for and your input is needed and valued by our staff.

If you have questions or concerns you can raise these with any member of staff on the ward. However, it will probably be most beneficial for you to discuss matters with the person’s primary nurse or the ward’s carer champion. Please ask the ward staff if you don’t know who this is.

You should be able to attend any meetings about the person you support and have someone, either a friend or advocate, to support you if you feel this would help. If a meeting is organised for a time you find difficult you can ask for it to be rearranged.

Carer’s services

If you are a carer who provides practical and/or emotional support to the person who has been admitted to hospital there is support for you which is free and confidential. Carer’s services are there to support families who are impacted by a loved ones’ ill health. They are there to make sure you get support, information, advice and guidance.

They can also help you to get a carer assessment if you want this. The person you are caring for doesn’t need to know you are receiving support. Contact your local carer’s service for more information on how they can support you. Contact details can be found at the back of this booklet.

Carer assessment

A carer assessment is offered to those whose caring role impacts on their life. It is a legal requirement for carers to be offered an assessment at least once a year. This does not mean that someone is judging how good you are at looking after the person you care for, it is simply a way of making sure that your own needs are looked after.

The assessment examines ways to reduce the stress, worry and demanding workloads that many carers experience. It can be a very useful way of improving the difficult aspects of caring. Please speak to staff if you are not offered a carer assessment soon after the person you care for is admitted to hospital.

About Longridge Ward

Longridge Ward is a 15 bedded ward based in a community hospital that cares for the elderly. It provides nursing, medical and therapy care for those needing to recover following a stay in an acute hospital.

Longridge Ward is also an alternative for those who may otherwise get admitted to an acute hospital, including those needing care in their last days of life. The care provided is holistic to meet an individual’s needs.

Meetings

You may be asked to attend what is called an MDT (multidisciplinary) meeting. Multidisciplinary means all the different services that provide care for the patient, for example clinical care, social care, occupational therapy and pharmacy.

These meetings will result in working together to produce a care plan for the patient.

Make sure you feel comfortable enough to express your views at the meetings and do speak to the staff if this is not the case. If you need to say things that are likely to upset the patient, ask staff about the best way to do this outside of the meeting.

Aspects of hospital care

Visiting

Visiting is welcomed in inpatient settings, the Trust is committed to facilitating visits for all patients within its care where possible in line with its policies and procedures.

Before attending the unit pleas contact the ward and book your visit. This is when the ward procedures should be explained to you.

On arrival to the ward you will be asked to abide with current guidance which may include social distancing rules, the wearing of personal protective equipment (PPE) and handwashing.

Children / young visitors visiting

Young visitors (a person under the age of 18) can visit on the actual ward, we ask that you discuss young children and babies visiting with the nurse in charge.

Smoking

Lancashire & South Cumbria NHS Foundation Trust is smokefree. On January 5, 2015, we implemented a Nicotine Management Policy. The policy follows guidance from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) which recommends a smokefree setting for all NHS services.

This means that smoking, including the use of any tobacco product or the use of most e-cigarettes, is not allowed anywhere on Trust premises. There are no designated areas for patients, visitors or staff to smoke on the hospital grounds. We ask patients not to smoke whilst in hospital and encourage people to stop smoking with the support of Nicotine Replacement Therapy if required. All patients will be offered support to stop smoking as part of their care.

Items brought onto the wards

Please only bring items that the patient requires for their admission. We cannot guarantee the safe keeping of patient property or be held responsible for the loss of any items, so please do not bring in anything valuable, including jewellery, items such as shaving equipment, etc.

Meaningful engagement

This is the programme of activities offered to patients to help them to recover. Sometimes patients need to be able to focus on these without interruption, so some periods of the day might be ‘protected therapeutic time’ or ‘quiet time’.

Spiritual needs

The nursing staff can arrange for someone to visit the ward from different denominations to ensure patients spiritual and religious needs are met.

Interpreters / additional needs

Please ask if you need an interpreter to overcome language barriers or have any additional needs.

Medication

It is important that carers understand what medication is being prescribed, what it is for, and what the side effects might be.

You can ask for leaflets about this or obtain information from ward or pharmacy staff.

Discharge and home leave

Planning for discharge from hospital normally starts as soon as a person is admitted and will be discussed at different meetings. If the patient is to return to live with you or participates in a home visit, you will need to be in agreement with this. There should be enough notice for you to plan for this.

You should also be informed of the services that will be provided for the patient once they have left the hospital. If the patient is being discharged but does not live with you, you should still make your views known about whether you feel this is the right thing to do.

Who will I meet on the ward?

Medical staff

General Practitioners (GPs)

A GP is a trained doctor who specialises in primary healthcare.

They have overall responsibility for assessment, care and treatment.

Junior Doctors from GP practices

There are various junior ward doctors who will talk to patients about their mental health and feedback to the consultant and more senior doctors.

They can also review any physical health problem and prescribe medication according to the treatment plan. They attend the ward throughout the day and night.

Nursing staff

Ward Manager

On each ward there is a Ward Manager, who is a qualified nurse. Their role is to deal with the day-to-day management of the ward and to ensure that the patients are receiving the care that they require.

Deputy Ward Manager

Each ward also has a Deputy Ward Manager, who supports the Ward Manager and takes charge in their absence.

Staff Nurse

A Staff Nurse is the general name given to a registered Nurse they deliver care to ensure physical health care needs are met.

Primary Nurses

A Primary Nurse is responsible for the nursing care of a patient during their stay. Primary Nurses are sometimes referred to as Named Nurses or Key Nurses. These terms all describe the qualified nurse specifically responsible for the patient’s nursing care.

Healthcare Assistant

A Healthcare Assistant/Support Worker works with the nurses and other healthcare professionals, helping with treatment and looking after a patient’s comfort and well-being. They are also known as Healthcare Support Workers.

Occupational Therapist

The Occupational Therapists (OTs) work with people to ensure that they are able to manage their daily activities and routines (occupations).

These may include self-care, domestic chores, work and leisure pursuits.

They work in groups and with individuals to identify any difficulties in occupation and develop treatment plans to ensure a safe and timely discharge. OTs also work with other staff to provide a range of enjoyable activities on and off the ward that can help improve mental and physical health.

Physiotherapist

Whether you have exercised regularly, or not at all, you will be encouraged to learn more about the benefits of increasing your physical activity as

part of a healthy lifestyle. If you have physical problems which limit you a Physiotherapist can assess and provide advice and treatment. Groups can be accessed following screening by the Physical Health and Leisure Assistant and individual exercise programmes can be provided.

Student Nurse

A Student Nurse is someone who is currently studying towards becoming a registered nurse.

Dietitian

Dietitians assess the need for assistance with dietary intake, nutritional support or support to manage dietary intake if linked to a medical problem such as diabetes.

Speech and Language Therapist

A Speech and Language Therapist is needed if there are any problems with your ability to swallow properly. If you do have any problems with swallowing they assess, advise and support to enable safe swallowing.

Tissue Viability Nurse

A Tissue Viability (TV) Nurse is a specialist nurse in managing the skin and wounds. If you have a severe or non-healing wound the TV Nurse will visit to assess and offer expert advice.

Chef and catering team

The ward has its own chef with all meals cooked from the kitchen on site. The catering team are able to accommodate any special dietary requirements.

Pharmacist

A Pharmacist advises doctors on the medicines best suited to a particular patient. Pharmacists are experts in medications.

Podiatrist

They are a specialist in the diagnosis and care of foot disorders, including medical and surgical treatment.

Shift Leader

The Shift Leader is a registered nurse who has been allocated by the ward sister/charge nurse to be the nurse in charge for that particular shift. They will co-ordinate the shift and allocate tasks according to priority and need, throughout the day.

Social Worker

Social Workers can offer advice and support on practical matters such as day care and accommodation and can link with other services. A Social Worker will work with the patient and their family to offer support in discharge home and in the longer term care if needed.

Student Professionals

You will meet students from various professions on the ward, for example, student nurses, doctors or occupational therapists. They are

valued as part of the team and learn through talking to patients and carers, practice, teaching and experience.

Ward Administrator

The Ward Administrator supports the smooth administrative running of the ward.

Sources of help and information

Community Roots

Community Roots was designed to support staff, service users, carers and LSCft communities with health and wellbeing learning opportunities and social connections.

We work in partnership with experts by experience, experts by profession and many wide ranging partners to share our experiences and learn about living well with mental health and physical health conditions.

The College develops and supports a range of partnerships with external stakeholders.

It identifies opportunities to work with staff teams to promote health and wellbeing messages and supports bids to help VCFS partners gain funding to deliver opportunities across Lancashire and South Cumbria.

For further information telephone 01772 695 365.

Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS)

If you have some concerns, questions or need advice on our services, you can contact the Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS) on0800 234 6088 or contact The PALS Team via email.

Feeling low and need someone to talk to?

Call 0800 915 4640

Monday to Friday 7pm to 11pm Saturday to Sunday 12pm to Midnight

Need urgent help?

Call 0800 953 0110 24 hours a day, seven days a week

This leaflet is available in alternative languages and formats upon request. Please speak to a member of our staff to arrange this.

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