A guide for inpatients (NHNN)

• Your admission letter and details of next-of-kin, closest friend or relative.
• Any medicines that you use (including non-prescription and herbal medicines), and a list of any allergies you may have.
• Clothes: two nighties or pyjamas (shirts and pyjama tops that open in the front rather than being pulled over your head are recommended); dressing gown and slippers; daywear (comfortable clothes) and underwear. Please be aware that the bedside cupboard has limited space.
• Toiletries: toothbrush and toothpaste, soap, shampoo, hairbrush, shaving kit, deodorant, flannel or sponge, box of tissues, earplugs, and sanitary products as appropriate.
• Any walking or hearing aids (please label clearly with your name) – spectacles, contact lenses or dentures (please bring cases with your name on and cleaning equipment for these items).
• You may also like to bring mobile phone, chargers, your diary or personal organiser, books, magazines, knitting, puzzles, electronic games (please keep these on silent mode so as not to disturb other patients), pen, paper, stamps, bottled water.
• Medical documents/previous scans/test results.

Please don’t bring:

• Towels or bed linen – these are provided by the hospital
• Washing powder – there are no laundry facilities on the wards. 
• Valuables –large amounts of money, jewellery, expensive games, computers, or music players. You will have small bedside locker for your clothes, medications, and personal belongings but the unit cannot take responsibility for the safekeeping of your valuables.
• Anything noisy – please don’t bring your own TV or radio 
• Alcohol – is strictly not allowed in any of the Trust’s hospitals and is not available in the Trust cafes and restaurants.

If you show any COVID -19 symptoms, colds, flu, diarrhoea, vomiting and other infectious illness, please do not come to the hospital until you are well. Following national guidance, we currently provide face masks for staff and visitors who may prefer to wear them, and we request that all visitors clean their hands with gel when entering the building and all clinical areas. 

Please contact the ward before visiting as restrictions may apply however the trust aim for 2pm – 7pm visiting hours. We ask that there are no more than two visitors at the bed space to minimise noise, promote rest and comfort to all patients. Speak to the ward manager or charge nurse if your visiting request falls outside visiting hours. 

Your medical team and the admissions staff have created a plan for your arrival at the National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery. Kindly arrive at the designated time to avoid delays of your treatment. 

A nurse or ward clerk will greet you, check your details and explain the ward routine to you. The nurse and health care assistants will start your admission. They will give you a wristband with your name on it which you must always wear as this is vital to ensure you are always given the correct treatment or medicines. Each ward is managed by a Ward Sister or Charge Nurse. If you have any concerns, they will be available to answer any questions you have. 

All our staff are required to wear visible identity badges telling you who they are and what they do, but if you cannot see this badge, please feel free to ask. 

Once on the ward, you will be given the name of a nurse and other nursing staff who will be responsible for your care. At the start of every shift, they will introduce themselves. 24-hour care is provided to all patients. 

Your consultant is responsible for your care. Although you may not see your consultant every day, a doctor on your consultant’s team should visit you. Ward rounds generally begin about 10am, but this can vary so feel free to ask the staff. 

Both doctors and nurses will discuss your treatment with you as well as give you written information where available. 

NHNN is a teaching hospital which trains doctors, nurses, midwives, and other health professionals. You may often see medical students on the wards, and under supervision, they may help to give you care or complete a test. We will ask for your consent for this, and you have the right to refuse it. 

If you choose not to provide your consent, your care will not be affected in any way. 

We keep your name, address, date of birth and GP details, as well as information on your medical condition. All this information is strictly confidential, and we have a legal duty to protect your privacy. This will not be shared with any third party unless necessary for clinical or other essential reasons related to your medical condition. 

If you wish to access your own medical records, you can sign up to MyCare UCLH. This is our patient portal, which gives you online, secure access to information about your care. You can download this app from app store or google play for free. If you need any assistance your doctor or nurse can activate your account during your appointment.

Alternatively, please contact the Release of Information team on 020 3447 9849.

Please be aware that smoking or vaping is not allowed in the hospital grounds. This policy applies to staff, patients, and visitors.

Family, friends, and carers are welcome to telephone the ward and ask about your progress. For confidentiality reasons, we cannot give out any medical information over the phone, but your nurse can give a general update. We recommend that, where possible one member of the family is nominated as the person to receive updates from the medical teams and to then pass the information on to other family members. 

If you wish to receive mail, please ask your relatives and friends to add the name of your ward and the full hospital address to all correspondence.

Meals are provided and there is a varied choice of daily menus. You may eat food brought by your family and visitors, but please check with your nurse whether there are any foods you should not be eating as part of your care plan. Snack boxes can be provided if you miss a meal.

Mealtimes may vary slightly but generally:
    Breakfast (8am – 9am)
    Lunch (12 midday – 1pm)
    Dinner (6pm – 7pm)

Patients should not bring their own food into the hospital as there are no storage facilities and as per trust Infection control policy, we cannot reheat food. 

We also follow protected mealtime policy where you will not be disturbed during your meals unless completely necessary. 

NHNN has a team of chaplains of different faith traditions. Our chapel is near the main hospital entrance.

If you would like to see a chaplain, then please ask the ward staff to contact them. 

Your nurse and/or therapists will be responsible for arranging your discharge plan if deemed appropriate. The integrated discharge service at NHNN may also be involved when necessary. 

Taxis can be arranged at the reception desk or patient lounge, but you will have to pay for them.

Hospital transport is only provided for those who for medical reasons are unable to use other forms of transport. An assessment will be carried out to see if you meet the eligibility criteria. We advise patients to arrange their own hospital transport with families or friends. 

Patients requiring extended hospitalisation, but not the specialist care of the NHNN may be transferred to their local or referring hospital if appropriate care can be provided there.

Before you leave the ward:

• Ask for a Fit note if needed.
• Collect all your valuables by your bedside.
• Pack all belongings from your locker.

Your leaving hospital checklist:

• A copy of your discharge letter.
• All the medications you need with information about them, including usage and storage. Details of care required from other health professionals (such as practice nurse/district nurse).
• Understood your agreed care plan.
• Information about potential lifestyle changes with appropriate advice sheets to help you.
• Any relevant patient care booklet for example wound care.  
• Advice about when you can expect to return to work.
• Contact details of your Clinical Nurse Specialist if applicable. 
• Please make sure to return any hospital equipment you no longer need.

You should be discharged from the ward before 12 midday. If you cannot go straight home at that time for any reason and if you have everything you need (discharge letter and medications), we may ask you to wait in the visitor’s room of the ward for a short period only. 

Please note that your discharge will usually be led by the nurse, and you may not always get to see your consultant on the day you leave.

We welcome your feedback. You should receive a text message after discharge asking for feedback about your admission. We appreciate you taking time to complete this as it helps us improve the services. 

If you are unhappy with any part of your hospital experience, please speak immediately to the Ward Sister/Charge Nurse or Matron.

You can also contact PALS directly. If you would like to have a formal investigation into a complaint, contact our Complaints Department on ext. 73413 or write to:

Chief Executive
250 Euston Road
London NW1 2PG

All complaints will be dealt with promptly and you will be kept informed of all actions taken.

We do not tolerate any harassment, threats or actual violence against staff, patients or visitors and action will be taken over incidents of unacceptable behaviour.

Our staff are committed to ensuring that the rights, dignity and cultural values of our patients are respected. We will try to ensure that no person is discriminated against on the grounds of age, disability, gender, religion and belief or sexual orientation. 

As a patient or local resident, you are entitled to become a member of UCLH Foundation Trust and have a say in the way the Trust develops and improves its services. 

If you would like more information or would like to become a patient member, sign up at our website or contact us via switchboard.

Euston, King’s Cross and St Pancras are all only about 15 minutes walk from the hospital.

Southampton Row -  nos.59, 68, 91, 168, 188, 501

Theobalds Road -  nos.19, 38, 55, 243

High Holborn / New Oxford Street - nos.8, 25, 242, 501, 521

You can travel on buses and trams using an Oyster or contactless payment card with pay as you go credit, or you can add a Travelcard or Bus & Tram pass to your Oyster card. You are no longer able to use cash to pay for your bus fare.

Russell Square (Piccadilly Line) and Holborn (Central and Piccadilly Lines) are both within walking distance.

Parking spaces in the area can be difficult to find. Parking – public meter bays in Queen Square and Great Ormond Street. NCP underground car park at Brunswick Square.

Normal blue badge restrictions apply in Queen Square and streets close to the square. Please check the restrictions of your badge within Camden. There are three disabled bays in Queen Square. For any additional advice if you have concerns about parking or accessible transport you can contact the Camden Council team on 020 7974 4444.