Family and Friends

Visitors are welcome at our hospital

Visitors have an important role in the surgical journey and recovery of our patients. It is a worrying time when a loved one has been told they may need surgery or have been admitted to hospital. Many people are unsure how to support their loved ones through their surgical journey. It is important to speak to your loved one about this. As healthcare professionals we are bound by a professional code to preserve our patients confidentiality and think sensitively about what we can share. However, we seek in include our patients friends and family where appropriate and when a patient has expressed a wish for their loved ones to be involved.

For many of our patients, it is vitally important for their family and friends to be involved in their surgical journey. However, some of our patients would rather their loved ones were not involved in their medical care as they may see this as a personal journey. We have to respect these wishes if they are conveyed to us.

Some ways family and friends may be involved include:

• Bringing the patient to hospital appointments
• Writing down important information
• Writing down and asking questions
• Informing other close family/friends of plans (if the patient has asked for this to happen)
• Bringing in essential items from home when in hospital/washing clothes.
• Helping with pets and any issues that may arise at home while people are in hospital

For more information on visiting family and friends in hospital, including the visitors code, visiting times and bringing gifts, please click here.

Guidance for Visitors Leaflet