North West Hospital and Health Service Welcome Booklet

Welcome to North West Hospital and Health Service, we hope your stay with us is comfortable. Our vision is to lead the delivery of safe, sustainable healthcare in the North West region with our diverse partners and communities.

Our purpose is to partner with our communities to improve health outcomes by delivering valued, high-quality, and sustainable health care that is close to home.

Information for your stay

>> what to bring from home?

Medical information including x-rays

Information about allergies and or adverse medication reactions

A list of all your current medications

Letters, reports and referrals relating to your current admission

Your identification, Medicare card, Pension card, Department of Veteran Affairs card

A copy of your advance health directive and enduring power of attorney if you have one

Patient travel subsidy scheme form if needed

Sleeping aids such as CPAP Machine

Peritoneal dialysis equipment and fluids if required

Mobility aids

>> belongings

Comfortable clothes, dressing gown and non-slip footwear

Toiletries including, razors, shaving cream, and sanitary and continence aids

Any aids such as glasses, hearing aids and walking stick or frame

Phone and phone charger

If you are staying with a child, bring a favourite toy, nappies, or any special item

Do not bring valuables or large amounts of money with you. The North West Hospital and Health Service does not accept responsibility for loss or damage of personal property.

>> share the dignity

When you are in hospital already sick, stressed, vulnerable or recovering from childbirth, it’s not guaranteed that you will have access to sanitary items such as period products or maternity pads. Period products are available for free in this hospital for anyone who needs to use them. Please let a staff member know if you need sanitary products.

>> parking

All of our facilities across the North West Hospital and Health Service provide free parking, please ask your treating team to provide you with information relating to designated parking areas. Please be advised that North West HHS takes no responsibility for damage or theft to vehicles or vehicle contents.

>> wifi

Free WiFi is available to all patients and visitors. To log on, click QH-Free WIFI and accept our terms and conditions.

>> no smoking policy

Queensland Health does not permit smoking within five meters of any Queensland Health facility. If you are a smoker, please discuss with your treating team ways in which we can support you during your stay.

>> support and interpreter services

At any time during your stay, North West Hospital and Health Service has additional support services via our Social Work team, Indigenous Hospital Liaison Officer or Interpreter Service. Please inform your treating team if you require any additional support and they will be happy to organise these services for you.

>> meals

You may be offered a choice of meals. We will cater to your cultural, religious, or special dietary requirements. Please talk to a member of your treating team if you have any concerns relating to:

• Meal times

• Fasting requirements

• Allergies

• Texture preferences

• Fluctuations in weight gain or loss

>> laundry

The North West Hospital and Health Service does not have facilities to wash your clothes during your hospital stay. Make sure you have all your clothing and personal belongings prior to returning home.

>> visitors

Your family and friends are welcome to visit you during your hospital stay. Visiting hours will vary depending on the ward, please speak to your treating team regarding visiting times.

If your visitor is unwell, please ask them to refrain from visiting. Each of our hospitals has COVID-19 safe visiting arrangements; this means that visitation rights may change depending on advice from health authorities or local risk assessment.

We ask that all visitors are respectful. The North West Hospital and Health Service has a zero-tolerance approach to threatening, abusive or violent behaviour by any person and will take appropriate action to protect patients’ staff and property.

Your rights and responsibilities

your responsibilities

We ask our patients, their families, carers, and visitors to

• Treat health workers and other patients courteously and with respect, dignity, and consideration

• Not harass, abuse, threaten or put any person at risk of physical or psychological harm

• Respect the confidentiality and privacy of staff and other patients

• Give staff as much information as you can about your heath and any beliefs that may affect your treatment

• Inform your treating team if you are taking any medicine recreational drugs or natural remedies

• Share your daily goals with your treating team

• Ask questions and talk to your family before making any decisions about your healthcare, if needed

• Follow your treating teams instructions regarding your treatment and care we are here and we are listening

If you don’t understand or are worried about your treatment plan, you are encouraged to ask these five questions

• Do I need this test treatment or procedure?

• What are the risks?

• Is there a simpler or safer option?

• What happens if I choose not to continue with the recommended treatment?

• Is there a cost involved?

australian charter of health care rights

The Charter describes the rights of patients using the Health System. The Charter states you have the right to

Access Receive health care that meets your needs

Safety Receive safe, quality healthcare that meets national standards

Respect Be treated as an individual, have your culture, identity, beliefs, and choices recognised and respected

Partnership Be included in all conversations about your health care

Information Ensuring help is available to understand information about your condition, services available, waiting time and costs involved. Also being told if something goes wrong, how it may affect you and what is being done to ensure safe care

Privacy Have information about you and your health kept confidential

Comment Ensuring you can provide feedback and ensuring that if you make a complaint, it does not affect your treatment and that all concerns have been addressed

Ryan’s Rule

Ryan’s Rule is a three-step process to support patients of any age, their families and carers, to raise concerns if a patient’s health conditions is getting worse or not improving as well as expected. Ryan’s Rule applies to all patients admitted to any Queensland Health public hospital.

Step 1

Talk to a nurse of doctor about your concerns.

If you are not satisfied with the response.

Step 2

Talk to the nurse in charge of the shift.

If you are not satisfied with the response.

Step 3

Phone 13 HEALTH (13 43 25 84) or ask a nurse and they will call on your behalf.

Request a Ryan’s Rule Clinical Review and provide the following information:

• hospital name

• patient’s name

• ward, bed number (if known)

• contact phone number

A Ryan’s Rule nurse or doctor will review the patient and assist.

We welcome your feedback

We encourage our patients to share their hospital experience with us. Any concerns, suggestions or compliments can be made during your stay by:

• Speaking with a member of your treating team

• Completing a ‘Have Your Say’ or ‘Our Journey Together’ brochure available from staff

• Emailing the Consumer Liaison Officer nwhhsclo@health.qld.gov.au

• Phoning the Consumer Liaison Officer on 4744 7115

• Providing feedback online by scanning our QR code

Upon discharge you may be sent a survey in relation to your admission, this survey will be sent directly to your mobile phone, we encourage our patients to complete this survey.

Advance Care Planning

Advance care planning involves thinking and making choices to guide your future health care. It is also a process of communicating your wishes. If you have strong beliefs about what you want to happen in the future, it is particularly important to make your plans and wishes known. You can do this by having a conversation with those close to you and writing down your preferences. It is important to think about making these choices while you can and not waiting until your health is deteriorating.

Click on the QR code to create your own care plan

Patient Identification

When you are admitted to hospital, an identification band will be placed on your wrist. Please check the details on the band are correct and wear it while you are in hospital. It is important to inform staff if any of the information is incorrect. During your stay you will regularly be asked your name and date of birth to confirm your identity whenever care is provided or handed over.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Identification

There are still gaps in health status and life expectancy. To know if these gaps are closing, and to know if we are providing services in the right way, we need to know if people are of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander origin. We also need to know so we can provide culturally capable health care during your stay. To do this our staff may ask the question “are you of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander origin?”

Handover

Various staff will be involved in your care at different points in time. Clinical handover is the sharing of information about you between on duty staff and the staff who will take over your care. Performing the clinical handover at your bedside involves you in your care and allows staff to discuss and ensure care continues as planned. As a patient you have the right to be a part of the conversation – speak up and ask questions or raise concerns about your care.

What can you do to ensure you are safe during your stay?

preventing falls

• Wear nonslip footwear

• Use walking aids if needed

• If you require glasses wear them when needed

• Call don’t fall! Please, use the call bell and ask your treating team if you need help

preventing blood clots

• Wear compression stockings if needed

• Do foot and ankle exercises in bed

• Move as much as possible this will assist in the prevention of blood clots

• Your doctor will do a risk assessment and may prescribe you medicine to help prevent blood clots

hand hygiene

• Please wash your hands often to stop the spread of germs. It’s ok to ask your treating team how to wash your hands

• Please ask all your visitors to wash their hands

• It is ok to ask your treating team “Have you washed your hands?”

if you have a cannula

• Have you been informed why you have a cannula? If unsure please ask your treating team

• Ensure you keep the cannula site clean and dry

• If the cannula site becomes red, swollen, sore or is discharging fluid please notify your treating team immediately

preventing chest infections (pneumonia)

• If your condition allows, move/walk around as much as possible. If you are not steady on your feet, make sure you ask for help!

• Practice breathing exercises as prescribed by your treating team

• Inform treating team if you have any concerns

preventing bed sores (pressure injuries)

• Keep moving as often as you can, every small movement helps

• Change your position frequently when in bed or sitting in a chair

• If you are unable to move yourself, your treating team will change your position regularly

• Look after your skin. Let your treating team know if you have any tenderness or soreness over a bony area, or if you have noticed any change in skin colour or broken skin

• Special equipment such as air mattresses and cushions may be used to reduce the risk of pressure injuries

Medications

Patients are encouraged to bring their own medications to hospital. When leaving hospital, you may be given a list of all your medications. Please share this list with your GP and community care providers. It is important that you understand your medications, especially if they are changing or new, including:

• what they are called

• what they are used for

• when and how long to take them

• and possible side effects

Please ask your treating team if you need any further information.

When it is time to go home

When it is time to go home, we want to make sure the transition is as smooth as possible. Please discuss your discharge plan with your treating team and inform the team of any barriers which may delay your discharge, and please check you have collected all your personal belongings. Before you leave, please make sure you have received:

• details of any follow-up appointments

• medical certificate

• any medications or prescriptions

• travel documents

• information to help with ongoing care

• information for any community support services you may need.

• A summary of your care if provided.

If you have any concerns relating to your treatment after you arrive home, please contact your treating team or represent to the Emergency Department.