• Visiting
• Meals
• Patient Support - Advocacy Project
• Recreation
• Letters
• Telephone Number
• Hospital Shop and Cafe
• Money and Valuables
• Information on Your Treatment
• Spiritual
• Discharge
• FREEPHONE Information Line

• What to Bring with You
• Voluntary Services - Friends of Liff
• Dundee Independent Advocacy Service
• Public Telephones
• Postal Address
• Newspapers
• Hairdresser
• Pills and Medicines
• Documents
• Nutrition and Dietetics Service
• Confidentiality of Medical Records
• Gifts and Donations

Visiting

There are no overall restrictions on visiting. Each area will give you information about visiting at the time of admission.

What to Bring With You

During your stay storage accommodation will be provided in the ward for any clothing and personal belongings. A key for safekeeping can also be provided.

Below, a check-list of things to bring with you:

• You may request to have your clothes labelled with your name, to avoid any loss during laundering. If you choose not to have your clothes labelled NHS Tayside cannot be held responsible for any loss. Unlabelled clothing should be given to a relative/carer for laundering. Name tags/clothing labels can be removed before discharge.
• In certain circumstances you may access ward laundering facilities but you must provide your own washing powder as this will not be provided by NHS Tayside.

Other Items - 

Benefit books, all outpatient appointment cards, medicines

A medical certificate will be provided on admission

You may bring a hairdryer, electric razor and personal stereo but these must be handed to staff to be checked by the electrician before use.

we request that you do not bring personal mobile telephones into hospital.

NB  

Alcohol/illicit and non-prescribed drugs are not permitted to be brought into the hospital. They will be confiscated and disposed of as per policy. Should the presence of illicit substances be suspected you may be requested to co-operate in a search of your belongings. This may have implications for your continued stay in hospital. It may also be necessary for staff to involve the Police where it is suspected that illicit drugs are being brought in by you or your friends and supplied to other patients.

Meals

In the main, meal times are as follows:

You can select your meal in advance using menus supplied. Tea, coffee and other soft drinks are served at various times during the day and evening.

Voluntary Services - Friends Of Liff

NHS Tayside employs a part-time Voluntary Services Manager. Volunteers can visit patients, take them out for walks, help with transport and offer support and assistance in many different ways. In addition, The Friends of Liff, established in 1982, provides volunteers who visit the hospital as well as providing tea and home baking on Wednesday afternoons from 1.30 - 3.00 pm in the Recreation Hall.

Voluntary Services Manager - Telephone 423006 or ext 24506 (24 hour answering service).

Patient Support - Patient Advocacy Project

The Patient Advocacy Project is an independent project run and managed by the Dundee Association for Mental Health (DAMH). Based at Royal Dundee Liff Hospital it is an independent voice that seeks to assist, support and empower patients to influence and participate in decisions that ultimately affect their lives. It is open Monday to Friday, 9.00 am - 5.00 pm.

Dundee Independent Advocacy Service

Dundee Independent Advocacy Service (DIAS) can provide someone to support you to speak up for yourself when facing decisions about where you should live when you leave hospital. Our service is free and confidential and involves one-to-one support with a trained volunteer citizen advocate or a paid advocacy worker. To find out if we could help, please phone Cathy, Irene or Winnie on 01382 205515.

FREEPHONE Information Line

Telephone 0500 698798

The information Line is a free phone service. It is open from 9.00am to 5.00pm, Monday to Friday. An answerphone service is available out with these times. You can ring for information or to comment on our services.

Recreation

In addition to ward activities, various forms of entertainment and activity take place in the Recreation Hall, which is located in Greystanes House. These include bingo, karaoke, indoor bowling, films, concerts, music group, games and crafts. Equipment and facilities to play table tennis, badminton, pool and darts are also available. Tea and coffee are also provided.

The Friends of Liff run special afternoon teas with home baking, cakes and scones every Wednesday from 1.30 - 3.30 pm.

Weekly programmes detailing opening times are produced and distributed throughout the hospital and should be on display in your ward. Further information and details can be obtained by contacting Recreation Hall staff on ext 24131.

Public Telephones

Public telephones are located in Greystanes House, Gowrie House, Benvie House, Gourdie House and Whitelawston House. These do not accept incoming calls.

Letters

There are two post-boxes available, one outside the main reception at Greystanes House and one inside Gowrie House.

Postal Address

All correspondence should be detailed as below:

Telephone Number

The Telephone Number for Royal Dundee Liff Hospital is 01382 423000.

Newspapers

Daily newspapers are available for patients in the wards, Monday to Friday.

Hospital Shop and Cafe

Located in Greystanes House (main building), it is run by the Scottish Association for Mental Health (SAMH) as a training project for trainees who are learning catering and retail skills. It is open to patients, visitors and staff for the sale of refreshments, confectionery, tobacco, toilet requisites, stationery and stamps. Hours of opening are:

It is not open on Christmas Day and New Years Day. The ward will inform you of the opening times on other public holidays.

Hairdresser

The salon is located beside the SAMH café in Greystanes House and provides a service for male and female patients. Patients can attend the salon (preferably by appointment) or if required the hairdresser will visit the ward. Visits to the ward can be arranged through the Charge Nurse. Payment for this service may be required - please check with the ward Charge Nurse to see if you are eligible for a free service.

Pills and Medicines

Please bring your current medications with you on admission. This will enable us to identify what drug treatment you are on. At times your own medication may be used on the ward if an immediate supply is unavailable.

Normally any medications will be returned to Pharmacy but, in certain circumstances, can be returned to the patient on discharge. Please inform staff if you wish medicines to be returned.

In handling and dealing with these medicines on the ward/department it is important to be aware that:

These medicines are the property of the patient and should not, therefore, be destroyed or otherwise disposed of without the patient's agreement.

Medicines brought in by the patient may be used in the treatment of that patient only where they are positively identified and are of appropriate quality. They may not be used for the treatment of any other patient.

One of the following procedures shall be observed and all actions recorded:

• The medicines may be sealed and stored in the ward/department until returned to the patient at the time of discharge. Responsibility and security of storage is the same as for ward/department stocks of medicines.
• The medicines may be returned home via an identified adult. Responsibility for security is transferred to that adult.
• If the patient or the patient's agent agrees the medicines may be sent to the Pharmacy for destruction. Responsibility and security is the same as for ward/department stocks of medicines.
• Where patients' own medicines are to be used for the continued treatment of that patient in the ward/department, the responsibility and security is the same as for ward/department stocks of medicines.

Money and Valuables

NHS Tayside cannot accept any responsibility for personal possessions brought into hospital which are not handed over for safekeeping.

Please ensure that a receipt is obtained for any cash, valuables or property handed over.

Documents

If you are in receipt of any benefits, it is advisable to bring your Benefit book or details with you. You or your carer must inform the DSS Office of your admission.

Information on Your Treatment

On admission you and your carer will be introduced to all staff on duty. You will also be introduced to your own named nurse. Your named nurse is a qualified member of the ward nursing team. They will introduce themselves to you on admission or as soon as possible thereafter. The named nurse is your special nurse allocated to you when you are in hospital. They will plan, implement and evaluate your treatment in order to provide the best quality care. Your named nurse will be the person your relatives and carers should speak to, as they will be in a position to give the most up to date information on your treatment and any other information they may require.

You and your carer will be shown around the ward area and introduced to the other patients. If, during your stay, you or your carer have any questions about your treatment, please ask the Doctor or Nurse in Charge of your care.

Information regarding your treatment is strictly confidential. Staff will not pass on any information without your permission.

Royal Dundee Liff Hospital is a hospital where future health professionals are trained. If you do not wish to be involved in the teaching, you have the right to say so. If this is the case, please inform Medical or Nursing staff.

Nutrition and Dietetic Service

The general aim of the Nutrition and Dietetic Service is to improve nutritional status, prevent and treat diet related illnesses with advice tailored to the individual's needs.

All the areas within Royal Dundee Liff Hospital have access to a Dietician. Referral to the service, if required, will be made by Medical staff.

Spirituality

Chaplains are available to provide support for any patient or carer who wishes. They work in an open way and are there for people of all faiths and none. If you wish, they can make contact with your own minister, priest, imam or faith community for you.

Chaplain – The Reverend Canon James Milne – 01382 432110 (office hours)

Services are held throughout the hospital on major festivals. Contact the chaplain for further details.

Roman Catholic Chaplain – The Reverend Canon Aldo Angelosanto – 01382 611282

Volunteers bring Communion to patients on the wards and regular Masses are held in Goudie House. Contact Father Aldo for further details.

In cases of emergency, nursing staff can contact the out of hours on call Chaplain for you.

Confidentiality of Medical Records

Details of your medical care are recorded for future and present care. A high standard of confidentiality is maintained within the wards and hospital regarding all recorded information.

If you wish to apply for access to your records, you have the right to do so under the Data Protection Act 1991.

Discharge

Your named nurse will inform you of your discharge date so as to enable you to let your friends and relatives know.

Before you leave:

• Discharge medication will be provided.
• All valuables will be returned to you.

The Hospital will inform your GP of your discharge. If you are in receipt of benefits they will also inform your local DSS office of your discharge.

Follow up care can be arranged through Community Nurses, Care Managers and Social Workers.

Gifts and Donations

If you wish to make a gift or donation to NHS Tayside, then either:

NHS Tayside can only accept gifts or donations that are to be used for the purposes of the NHS.

Please ensure that you receive a receipt for any donation or gift made to NHS Tayside.