Patient information

On admission to your ward you will be given a bedside cabinet of your own in which to keep personal belongings - this is not lockable.

Please bring with you:

• any medicines you are taking (including oral contraception)
• nightwear including dressing gown, slippers, toiletries, underwear and day clothes
• regularly used equipment (e.g. walking frame, stick) - contact the nurse in charge if you are in doubt
• a small amount of money might be required for hospital shops
• telephone numbers and addresses of relatives or close friends

Please do not bring:

• valuables or large amounts of money

If you cannot avoid bringing valuables they should be handed to the nurse in charge who will ensure that they are placed in safe custody and give you a receipt. The hospital will not be held responsible for loss of, or damage to, your property unless an official receipt is obtained. You must produce the official receipt when you reclaim your property.

All staff employed by NHS Highland are governed by the Scottish Government, Department of Health Code of Practice relating to all personal health information.

The Code of Confidentiality is based on the principles that information about the health and welfare of a patient:

• is confidential in respect of the patient and to those providing that patient with health care or directly concerned with the social welfare and after care of that patient
• will only be disclosed in connection with the purposes of health care and social welfare to those who would be unable to provide effective treatment and care without the information
• will not be disclosed to other persons without the consent of the patient except in certain specific circumstances

Patients often talk to each other about confidential matters or occasionally may overhear a conversation between another patient and a member of staff. In these circumstances, all patients are requested to observe the privacy of others and not repeat anything to any other person.

In the course of your stay it may be necessary to have confidential talks with medical, nursing or other staff. If you wish to have these talks in private, please inform a member of staff and appropriate arrangements will be made.

It is important that you understand the nature of any treatment or operation. This will be explained to you by a doctor and if you require an operation you will be asked to sign a consent form. In the case of young people under the age of 16 years, the consent of their parents or guardian will be requested.

In hospital, staff will provide information leaflets and advice about infections you may want to know about such as MRSA, C Diff and norovirus, including:

• how they are spread
• precautions and symptoms
• what to do if you are told you have an infection

Staff will advise on how you can reduce infections spreading, how to care for personal laundry and hand hygiene.

For the purpose of your present and future medical treatment, details of your medical care will be recorded. At all times great care is taken to ensure that high standards of confidentiality are maintained in respect of all information held.

The law gives you the right to access your personal healthcare records. Please ask your doctor or other professional healthcare practitioner to show you your records and explain them to you.

If you prefer, you can apply for your own copy of your healthcare records.

It is important that you let the hospital staff know about the tablets and medicines you are taking. Please take your medication and your repeat prescription information with you to hospital. It would also be useful if you could obtain from your GP a list of the drugs you are taking and any recent infections or inoculations you have had (with dates) as these may have some bearing on your treatment. You must also let the nurse in charge or doctor know if there is anything to which you are known to be allergic e.g. penicillin, certain foods, adhesive dressings.

Use of mobile phones and communication devices are permitted in designated areas only. Please ask a member of staff for advice on usage. The hospital will not be held responsible for loss or damage to mobile phones. 

Read about Highland Hospital Radio.

Prior to hospital admission, stopping smoking in good time allows the various poisons you absorb from tobacco smoke to clear from your blood as well as from your lungs and heart.

Read about free patient Wi-Fi available in hospitals.