Inpatient Unit 1 (previously Acute ward)

What is the Inpatient Unit 1?

The Unit comprises single rooms. It is staffed by a team of professionals, catering for the needs of people recovering from an illness or coping with a disability.

Who is in the Team?

The team consists of: Nurses, Support Workers, Consultants, Non consultant Doctors, Physiotherapists, Occupational Therapists, Speech & Language Therapists, Dieticians, and Social Workers.

The Consultant team is responsible for the patient’s medical care and visit daily and as required, there is always a doctor available should the patient become ill and need urgent medical attention.

What do we do?

The Inpatient Unit 1 caters for the needs of people suffering from an illness or having an elective procedure requiring inpatient stay.

Patients are admitted to the Unit predominantly from the Emergency department within The Balfour.

We encourage an environment that is relaxed and informal, and a place where patients and their families feel comfortable and secure. Each bed area has a television for patient usage.

What do we aim to achieve?

The team works with patients to increase their independence whilst providing them with the care they need. In delivering care and treatment, we will follow the principles of recovery and enablement. This means that we will:

• Accept that each patient is unique and an expert on him/herself
• Help patients to build on their individual strengths
• Provide patients with choices and options
• Assist and empower each patient to meet individual goals and aims

The staff will assess the patient’s needs and with his/her agreement, plan and ensure a safe and timely discharge from hospital.

What should a patient expect?

Several members of the team will meet with each patient to discuss and plan his/her care and treatment whilst in the Unit.

The treatment and care may include:

• Help with mobility and practising everyday tasks, using activities to overcome the effects of illness or disability
• Solving medical concerns and issues
• We will work to reassure and support each patient through their stay
• We will assist each patient and his/her family in discussing and planning a safe discharge.

The patient’s plan of care will be reviewed at daily Interdisciplinary team meetings.

Meal Times

Breakfast is at 0730; Dinner/Lunch is at 12noon; Tea is at 1700; and Supper is at 2030.

Visiting Times

Our visiting times are open and we ask visitors to respect meal times and busy ward round times which generally occur in the mornings.  We know there are occasions when people want to visit outside hospital opening hours, please speak to the nurse in charge if you need to visit at other times to arrange suitable access

Chairs are available for visitors and we request that visitors please DO NOT SIT ON THE BEDS.

Spiritual Care

Leaders of all religious beliefs may be contacted; the patient just asks a member of the nursing staff.  The Spiritual Care lead is available for support, again please speak to a member of staff. 

Feedback

We value feedback about our services. If patients and/or their families have any compliments, comments or complaints, please speak to a member of staff. There are also comments boxes situated throughout the hospital.