Critical Care

If there are a lot of family and friends, it would be helpful to the staff on the unit if only one member of the family telephones for updates and communicates to other family and friends. We would also request that you do not call between 7am - 7:30am and 7pm - 7:30pm due to this being the nursing staff changing over period where vital information needs to be shared.

Telephone Numbers

AICU (Adult Intensive Care Unit), C Floor West Block QMC Telephone: 0115 924 9924 Main Reception ext. 89150, Pods A & B ext. 82758, Pod C ext. 84503

E12 (Adult High Dependency Unit), E Floor West Block QMC Telephone: 0115 924 9924 ext. 84879 or 83658

CCD (Critical Care Department), North Corridor, City Hospital Telephone: 0115 969 1169 beds 1-9 ext. 71819, beds 10-17 ext. 71787

Please accept our apologies if visitors are asked to wait. Often treatments, examinations and procedures will require privacy and may be time-consuming. We apologise for any delays and endeavour to keep you informed along the way.

Visiting Times

You will be able to visit between the hours of 11am-8pm. Depending on the environment of the unit, it may be that staff ask you to leave during handover times between 7 and 8. This is to not only ensure confidentiality of all information, but to allow staff to fully concentrate, ensuring that a detailed and complete handover of your relative's current health status and plan of care can be given and received.

You WILL be asked to leave:

• For medical reviews and consultant handovers

• When your relative is having interventions or procedures (e.g. x-rays, line insertion, scans)

You MAY be asked to leave when your relative is receiving:

• Personal care

• Physiotherapy

Please:

• Use the hand gel when entering and leaving the unit

• DO NOT bring any hot drinks onto the unit

• DO NOT take photos or videos whilst on the unit

• Ensure only 2 visitors are at your relatives bedside at any one time*.

• Put phones on silent

• DO NOT leave children unattended

• DO NOT visit if you are under the influence of alcohol or recreational drugs

• Discuss with the nurse in charge if you feel unwell – it may be unwise to visit

*There are special circumstances when more than 2 people may visit – if these apply to your relative then you will be extended the same courtesy

You may be asked to leave at other times, this will be explained to you. Please consider leaving your number so that we can contact you when you are able to visit.

Please be mindful that your relative is Critically Ill and will require some rest periods throughout the day – please discuss this with the nurse caring for your relative.

If you wish a child to visit, please discuss this with your bedside nurse. Ultimately it is at your own discretion if a child should visit or not. Our advice is that it can be distressing for a child to see their loved one in Critical Care and they should be prepared for what to expect before visiting. There are also numerous bugs and infections within hospitals that children are more susceptible to than adults, especially young children. An accompanying adult should supervise children closely at all times whilst on Critical Care and within the hospital.

There are limited facilities for overnight accommodation. We have an overnight room for visitors use on Critical Care C Floor, the use of which will be reviewed daily and on the greatest need basis. We understand that you may want to be nearby when your relative or friend is unwell or that you may live some distance away. However, in most cases, we do encourage relatives to go home at night as your rest is as important at this stressful time. There is a hospital hotel at the City Campus.

Hospital Hotel Telephone: 0115 840 5822, 0115 969 1169 ext. 55231 Email: nuhnt.hospitalhotelreception@nhs.net

The Spiritual and Pastoral team are here to support you, whatever your background or beliefs, during the patient's time in the hospital. Yours or the patient's needs may be faith-specific, or you may simply need someone who has time to listen and help you understand and make sense of what is happening.

Chaplaincy Staff Church of England and Free Church Chaplains are hospital-based and your bedside nurse can contact them if you would like to see them or if you think the patient would like a visit from them. There are also a number of Roman Catholic Priests and Religious Sisters who are part of the team. There is also a Rabbi who can be contacted for members of the Jewish community. A patient does not have to be awake for a chaplain to visit; they will visit all patients within the hospital no matter the circumstances.

Support for Patients The members of the Spiritual and Pastoral care team have particular experience in listening to people in distress. They are concerned with the patient's total well-being, not just their religious needs. If the patient has wider spiritual needs, please ask your bedside nurse to contact the chaplain.

Prayer Facilities Prayer Facilities can be accessed by anyone. They are available for both patients and visitors, they are located at:

City Campus

• The Hospital Chapel is at junction N17 at the Edwards Lane end of the North corridor. It is always open for prayer and quiet.

• The Muslim Prayer Room can be found at junction S5 behind Sherwood Hall.

QMC Campus

• The Chapel, Mosque, Mandir and Gurdwara are on D floor, East Block, are open at all times, and access to the Synagogue is available from the Department of Spiritual and Pastoral Care Office.

World Faiths Practising members of other religious traditions may prefer to see a representative of their own faith. The Chaplaincy Department can provide contact numbers, and also information about religious customs, festivals and cultural activities.

Emergencies If a member of the Spiritual and Pastoral care team is needed in an emergency, then there is always an on-call Duty Chaplain for urgent emergencies. If this is the case, then your bedside nurse will be able to contact the Duty Chaplain on your behalf.

Worship in Hospital It may not be possible for a patient to attend the worship in the hospital. However, this service is available to everyone including visitors if you would like to attend one of the hospital's worships. These services are at the following times and locations:

City Campus Chapel Sunday - From 10am, bedside Communions by request Weekdays - 9:30am, Morning Prayer

Queen's Campus Chapel Sunday - From 10am, bedside Communions by request Weekdays - 9:30am, Morning prayer Friday - 2:15pm, R.C. Mass

Mosque City Campus Muslim Prayers (Juma Salaat) - held in the Chapel, North Corridor Friday 1:30pm (summer) and 1:15pm (winter)

Mosque Queen's Campus Muslim Prayers (Juma Salaat) led by Imam Friday 1:15pm (summer) and 1pm (winter)

A team of helpers take out Holy Communion to the patient at the bedside on Sunday mornings on request. Times for special services are displayed on the department notice boards, around the hospital and on the wards.

For more information see the Spiritual and Pastoral Care website 

Sick Letter If you require a sick letter for the patient or yourself for having a prolonged time in the hospital, then please approach the receptionists on the Units. We will endeavour to produce one for you as timely as possible, however, if the Unit is busy please expect to wait for one to two days for this.

Infections Control Germs are an everyday part of life that may cause infections. The Infections Control Team at NUH is committed to reducing the risk of cross infections. To minimise this risk, please use the alcohol gel by the main door prior to entering and leaving the Unit. There is additional hand gel available at each bed area.

It is good practice for staff to wash their hands and use alcohol gel before providing care as this is the single most important measure in preventing cross infection. You have the right to ask the staff if this has been done. We also encourage all visitors to wash their hands prior to and after visiting.

If visitors have any concerns regarding their own health, they are asked to discuss these with the nurse in charge who can offer advice regarding visiting.

NUH strives for a high standard of hospital cleanliness. However, if you have any concerns regarding this then please inform a member of staff.

Patient's Personal Information In order to provide the highest quality of healthcare, we need to keep records about our patients. These records may include the patient's personal details, such as their name and address. Further details on how this information is used are available in the form of a leaflet and can be provided as required. Copies are available in the visitor's room.

Patient Property We do not accept responsibility for cash or valuables unless they are handed in for safekeeping and an official receipt is obtained. If a patient is unable to care for their valuables, they will be held by the Trust for safekeeping. Critical Care does not have lockers for patient's property, so we ask that items are taken home when not needed. We welcome familiar items that may be of comfort to our patients. These may include photographs or favourite music. Personal toiletries such as soap, deodorant, shaving equipment, a toothbrush and toothpaste are also welcomed and we ask that they are brought in.

Same Sex Accommodation and Dignity NUH is fully committed to ensuring all patients receive high-quality care that is safe, effective, and focused on their needs. We take our patient's privacy and dignity very seriously. We believe providing same-sex accommodation plays an important part in achieving this goal.

The patient's clinical condition is our priority and therefore sometimes we may need to deliver care in mixed sex accommodation. As soon as patients are well enough to be moved to a less specialised environment same-sex accommodation will be provided. If you have any concerns, please talk to a member of staff.

Consent Where possible, we will always ask the patients in Critical Care for their permission before providing treatment. Sometimes this will be in the form of written permission, for example, if an operation is needed.

Unfortunately, patients in Critical Care are often too sick to be able to give their permission. In these cases, the Critical Care doctors and nurses have to act in accordance with the Mental Capacity Act 2005 and its Code of Practice. They may have to make decisions on behalf of the patient, always making sure that a particular treatment is in the patient's best interests.

If it is practical and appropriate to do so, the Critical Care team will consult other people, such as the patient's close relatives and friends or Lasting Power of Attorney, about their views on what treatments the patient would want us to perform, if they were able to make the decisions for themselves. Relatives and friends are not able to consent for the patient unless they have power of attorney, it is ultimately a medical decision.

Fire Procedure Check with the Critical Care staff about the procedure you must follow in the event of a fire alarm sounding. Visitors are asked to remain in the waiting room until the alarm stops, or a member of staff advises you of the need to evacuate. Do not use the lifts during this time.

On discovering a fire, anyone detecting smoke, or the smell of burning should investigate and raise the alarm. If a fire is suspected please inform the staff. Raise the alarm by breaking the glass on the nearest fire alarm call point. Inform switchboard of the location by dialling 2222.

Hearing the alarm - the fire alarm is continuous in the immediate area of the fire and an intermittent tone in surrounding areas.

Violence and Aggression Policy We operate a policy of withholding treatment from violent, aggressive and abusive patients. Any form of violence against staff working in the NHS is not acceptable and will not be tolerated. Patients and visitors should treat NHS staff, fellow patients, carers and other visitors politely, and with respect and dignity. Assault is a crime and the Trust will press for the maximum possible penalty for anyone who commits an assault against NHS staff. Visitors behaving unacceptably will be asked to leave the premises.

State Benefits Sickness, injury and disability can come into someone's life at any time, often when it is least expected. Social security benefits for financial help may need to be accessed. For patients already receiving benefits, the social security office or job centre will need to be informed of this admission to and discharge from the hospital.

Daisy Award: an opportunity to say 'thank you' NUH has introduced the 'Daisy' programme to reward and recognise the invaluable care that nurses and midwives provide. This is part of the Trust's Magnet Journey to Excellence accreditation, which places emphasis on organisations being able to acknowledge achievements as part of continued evaluations and improvements. Both initiatives are funded by the hospitals' own Nottingham Hospitals Charity. If you have received outstanding care from a nurse or midwife and wish for them to be recognised for their care, you can nominate them for this award. Forms are available in visitors' rooms. You can also ask a member of staff for more details.

If you wish for any member of staff to be recognised for their care or contribution to our services, please let a member of staff know as we have a number of staff recognition programmes in place.

Facilities At QMC Cafes and Restaurants We have a range of cafes and restaurants at QMC:

• Eatwell, D Floor, West Block, 7.30am-2.30pm, Mon-Fri

• Fontanella, Main Entrance, B Floor, 7am-11.30pm, Mon-Fri, 8am-11.30pm, Sat and Sun

• Costa Coffee, Main Entrance, B Floor, 24/7

• Century Cafe, Main Entrance of EENT, 8.30am-5pm, Mon-Thurs, 8.30am-3pm, Fri

• Amigo Fresh newsagents, Main Entrance, B Floor, 6am-9pm Mon-Fri, 8am-8pm Sat-Sun, 10am-4pm bank holidays

• Veg stand, Outside Main Entrance, 8:30am-4:30pm Mon-Fri

• Coffee Lounge, Medical School, E Floor, 8am-4pm, Mon-Fri

• Hipps cafe, Medical School, A Floor, 9am-4pm, Mon-Fri

Wi-Fi access Patients and visitors can access free Wi-Fi, please ask for more details.

Pharmacy The pharmacy at QMC is located at the Main Entrance on B floor, it is open from 9am-midnight Monday-Friday; 10am-midnight Sat, Sun and public holidays.

Spiritual and Pastoral Care QMC's Multi-Faith Centre consists of a chapel, gurdwara, mandir, mosque and synagogue, all situated on D floor along the corridor connecting the South and East Blocks. For more information please see the Spiritual and Pastoral Care page on this app.

Cash Machines

• NatWest: in the corridor behind Costa Coffee in the Main Entrance, B Floor

• Nationwide Link: behind Amigo's newsagents in the Main Entrance, B Floor.

Post box Near the AMRU (Clinic 1) on B Floor. Collections Monday-Friday 5.30pm; Saturday 11am. Note: stamps are sold in Amigo's newsagent at B Floor's Main Entrance or at the General Office, also near the Main Entrance.

At City Hospital Cafes and Restaurants We have a range of cafes and restaurants at City Hospital

• Cityside Restaurant, North road, 8am-2pm, Mon-Fri

• Eatwell, North/South corridor, 8am-6.30pm, Mon-Fri

• Eatwell, West corridor, 8.30am-6.30pm

• Eatwell, Maternity, ground floor, 8am-11.30pm

• Eatwell, Breast Institute, 9am-4pm, Mon-Fri

• WRVS, Physiotherapy, 9am-4pm, Mon-Thurs, 9am-1pm, Fri

• WRVS, Outpatients, 9am-5pm, Mon-Thurs, 8am-2pm, Fri

• WRVS, Oncology, 9am-4pm, Mon-Thurs, 9am-12.30pm, Fri

• Veg stand, Outside Outpatient's Entrance, 8:30am-4:30pm Mon-Fri

Wi-Fi Access Patients and visitors can access free Wi-Fi, please ask for more details.

Pharmacy The Pharmacy at City Hospital is on the Ground Floor near the South Entrance and is open from 9am-5pm, Monday-Friday

Cash Machines

• Nationwide Link: in the entrance to the main Outpatients Department (Junction N3)

Post box At South Entrance, Junction S1, on the Lower Ground Floor and outside Main Entrance on North Corridor.

Ongoing Support If you or your loved one has experienced time on Critical Care, there may be some issues you are concerned about. For patients, these could be related to memories of before, during or after your admission to Critical Care. Or you may have worries about your health now. We are here to support you and we encourage you to discuss any of these concerns with us.

Once you or your loved one has been discharged from the hospital, you can contact your GP to discuss these and obtain further support as required. Or you can ring any of the Critical Care Units and ask to speak with the nurse in charge, who will be able to offer you advice on how to receive additional support.

More information regarding what you may be experiencing after being in Critical Care and what can be provided can be found on this app under the section 'post-intensive care syndrome' in the life after Critical Care section. Alternatively, an additional booklet, called 'Intensive Care: A Guide for Patients and Relatives' is available. This guide contains advice and information about Critical Care. It tells you how critical illness may be treated and what recovery may be like. Copies of this are available in the visitor's room, on the internet on the ICU Steps web page. It is there for you to read in your time, as you feel ready to do so.

If you would like to leave a comment about the care your relative received whilst in Critical Care, there are whiteboards near the entrance on all the Units for visitors to write comments. It is valued by all the staff to see the care we provide is appreciated. Seeing these comments also benefits people visiting for the first time, to see what others think of the care.

If you would like to provide feedback in a more formal manner, donate to the NUH or Critical Care charity, or if you have any concerns/complaints about the care provided then the following information is available to help you.

NUH and Critical Care Charity We are passionate about providing support for our health and care services and we rely on thoughtful, considerate people for much-needed funds. But how do you know where your money goes? How do you know that you're making a difference? The beauty of giving to local causes is that you can control which area of care you want to support, the one that's closest to your heart and experience. We rely on and gratefully appreciate all donations and legacies.

If you wish, you can specify which hospital, a particular Unit or one of the special appeals. You might want to contribute to some life-saving equipment or additional facilities. Whatever way you donate or provide a legacy, each pound helps change lives for the better.

There are multiple ways to donate to the NUH charity and these can be found on the NUH charity website http://www.nottinghamhospitalscharity.org.uk/.

You can donate directly to Critical Care through this method or you can approach the Critical Care Unit. Past charity donations to Critical Care have contributed to the purchase of more chairs for visitors, prism glasses for spinal patients, games consoles for patients, fans for patients, more specialised chairs for patients and motomed leg and arm bikes, and the app you are reading this on.

One major improvement that came directly from charity donations is the creation of the Amy Duffield Simulation Suite. This new suite will provide vital learning, teaching and development opportunities for all Critical Care staff.

Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS) PALS are here to help when you need advice, have concerns, want to tell us what you think about our services or don't know where to turn. They can:

• Help sort out concerns on the spot

• Tell you about the service provided and about the NHS

• Give you information about conditions and treatments

• Put you in touch with local or national support agencies

• Listen to your suggestions and comments and take action to improve our services

Who are PALS for? Anyone who uses NUH - patients, their family and friends. Raising concerns or making a complaint to any member of staff will not affect care and treatment. Please be assured that NUH treats all concerns and complaints seriously and in complete confidence. Talk to PALS if you are worried about this.

What can PALS tell me about Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust? PALS can tell you about how the Trust is run, what clinics and departments we have, what facilities we have for users, how we fit into the NHS - in fact, anything about what goes on and how and where we do it.

What health information can PALS give me? Our PALS health information service can provide you with free information about organizations that support people with certain medical conditions.

How do PALS sort our concerns? If you are not happy about something, it is best to talk first to someone close to the problem - for example, the Nurse or Sister/Charge Nurse on a ward, the receptionist, department manager, or the doctors. If you have tried this and you are still not happy, or you want to talk to someone who is not involved directly in care, contact PALS. They can help get things sorted out the way you want. PALS have a separate room where you can talk to someone in private.

What if I am still not happy? If you are not satisfied with the response that you receive, you can make a complaint in writing. Please write to:

The Chief Executive Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust City Hospital Hucknall Road Nottingham NG51PB

What happens once my complaint is received by the Trust? A member of the team will contact you to make sure they understand your concerns and what outcomes you are seeking. They will also agree with you the expected timescale for completing the investigation. Your complaint will then be acknowledged in writing within three working days of receipt. If it has not been possible for a member of the team to contact you to agree on the complaint plan they will summarize their understanding in the acknowledgement letter.

If you are making a complaint on behalf of another person we will usually require consent from that person to respond to you. However, we appreciate this will not always be possible and a member of staff will contact you to discuss this further. If the person is deceased, we will provide our response to the nominated next of kin.

A thorough investigation will be undertaken by a senior manager of the Trust. We aim to respond to all complaints within the timescale agreed with you. If we are unable to meet this timescale we will contact you to explain the reason for the delay.

You will receive a response letter from the Trust. This will give details of our investigation, the reason, if appropriate, for any failure in our service, and the steps being taken to prevent it from happening again. This stage of the NHS complaints procedure is known as 'local resolution'.

What if I am not satisfied with the outcome of the investigation of my complaint? We always try to resolve all complaints satisfactorily. However, if you are still dissatisfied with our response to your complaint please let us know. We will review your complaint and if appropriate offer you the opportunity to discuss your concerns personally with senior managers of the Trust.

Alternatively, you can ask the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman to review your complaint. The Ombudsman is independent of the NHS and the Government and is directly responsible to Parliament for investigating complaints about the NHS. You should usually contact the Ombudsman within 12 months of your complaint.

You can contact the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman at:

The Health Service Commissioner Millbank Tower Millbank London SW1P 4QP Telephone: 0345 0154033 Email: phso.enquiries@ombudsman.org.uk Website: www.ombudsman.org.uk