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The Hospital

The hospital is situated two miles north of Montrose, beside the village of Hillside, and buses passing the hospital leave Montrose at regular intervals.

Visiting 

Open visiting hours apply at Sunnyside Royal Hospital, providing the visits do not restrict the patients' treatment programme. Further information/advice can be obtained from the Nurse in Charge.

What to Bring With You

Please bring with you any medicines/drugs you have been or are presently using as this will be very important to your treatment. These should include any medicines prescribed by your doctor and those which you may have bought from your local Pharmacy. They should be handed over to the Nursing Staff on admission, and once the hospital doctor has seen them, arrangements will be made to hand them to your nearest relative to take home. If this is not possible, they will be either retained within a safe place in the hospital, or, if appropriate, destroyed with your consent. Clothing

The Hospital has facilities for laundering personal clothes and further information can be obtained from the Nurse in Charge. For security and ease of identification in the laundry, we may wish to fix a label or tag to each item of clothing. If you have any objections to this label being attached please notify the Nurse in Charge on admission. The hospital cannot accept responsibility for loss or damage to items of clothing not labelled.

What Not to Bring With You

Cars

NHS Tayside regrets that it is not possible for patients to keep their car or any other form of transport in the hospital, and will accept no responsibility for loss or damage sustained to the vehicle whilst in hospital premises. The use of such vehicles is not permitted whilst you are a patient, unless with prior consent obtained from the medical officer in charge of your treatment.

Alcohol and Drugs

Under no circumstances should you or your visitors bring alcohol or drugs into the hospital, with the exception of those your have to bring on your admission. (See paragraph on Medicine/Drugs)

All wards in the hospital are provided with colour television, radio, stereo-players and in most cases, hairdryers. If you wish to make use of any private electrical equipment you must obtain permission from the Nurse in Charge prior to the appliance being brought to the hospital. All electrical appliances being brought into the hospital must be checked by the Engineering Department prior to use. Arrangements for this can be done through the Nurse in Charge of the Ward.

Cameras, Musical Instruments and Equipment of this nature

It is important that you obtain permission from the Nurse in Charge of your ward to bring such items into hospital.

Where permission is granted to use your television, radio, etc. in hospital, you are advised to take out insurance cover for such personal property. In addition, your television also requires to be licensed.

Patients' Comforts

The nursing staff will, on request, advise your relatives and friends about the suitability of gifts, sweets, toiletries and clothing.

Newspapers are provided in most wards. Patients requiring their own newspaper should order this through the Nurse in Charge. Short term patients may wish to make their own arrangements.

Library services are provided within the hospital. Further information on this service is available from the Nurse in Charge.

Hairdressing services are available mainly for long stay patients.

Hospital Shop and Tearoom is open between the hours of 9.15am and 4.30pm, Monday to Friday, and from 2.00pm to 4.30pm, Saturday. These facilities aim to provide for your extra and personal comforts and your visitors and yourself may use the facilities. Whilst the shop and tearoom are closed on a Sunday, afternoon teas are available in the Rendezvous Club.

Recreational Facilities within the hospital complex include a Putting Green, Bowling Green, Tennis Courts, Football and Cricket Pitches and a variety of indoor activities. Concerts, parties and dances of various types are held regularly. Further details can be obtained from the Nurse in Charge.

Mail should be addressed to the individual patient, care of the appropriate ward, Sunnyside Royal Hospital, Hillside, Montrose, DD10 9JP. Outgoing mail can be posted at the Post Office Box at the main entrance to the hospital.

Smoking

NHS Tayside has adopted a Smoking Policy within the Hospital complex. Guidance will be given by the nursing staff as to areas where smoking is permitted.

Parking Facilities for Visitors

Car Parking facilities are available and signposted. Your co-operation in parking your vehicle in a designated car parking area will be appreciated to ensure that entrances to wards/departments are kept clear for the movement of hospital vehicles, ambulances and fire appliances.

Public Toilets

Ladies and Gentlemen's public toilets are situated at the north end of the main hospital car park.

Special Dietary Needs

If, for any reason, you have special dietary needs, please discuss these with the Nurse in Charge who will make the necessary arrangements with the Catering Department.

Social Work

Tayside Regional Council provides a team of Social Workers based in the Hospital with access to various community resources. The Social Work Department Office is located in Carnegie Clinic. Patients and their families who require this service can be referred by their Doctor or self-referral at the Reception Area at Carnegie Clinic.

Chaplaincy

A Hospital Chaplain, who is a Church of Scotland Minister, visits the Hospital regularly. If you wish the Chaplain to be informed of your admission, or your own Minister or Clergyman to be informed, tell the Nurse in Charge. Episcopal and Roman Catholic patients are under the care of their respective Priests from Montrose. Arrangements to see them can be made through the Nurse in Charge.

A Church of Scotland Service is held each Sunday in the Hospital Chapel at 9.30am. Please ask the Nursing Staff if you require further information about these services and/or arrangements for other religious denominations.

Podiatry / Dental / Optical / Dietetic / Physiotherapy Services

Use of the above services may be arranged by the Nurse in Charge. These services are designed for long-stay patients.

Pensions and Allowances

If you are receiving a pension or allowance at the time of admission, please notify your local Department of Social Security immediately of your admission to hospital. Most benefits are reduced by the Department of Social Security on admission or after a specified time. It is essential that the hospital knows exactly the type of benefit you are entitled to, so that arrangements can be made to claim them on your behalf.

If you are likely to be in hospital for a while we prefer your pension or allowance book be handed into the hospital, so that your benefit can be used for your day-to-day needs, e.g. sweets, toiletries etc. Many relatives find this method more convenient as the hospital staff can buy the things you need using your own money.

Should you require medical certificates to claim benefit, the Nurse in Charge of the Ward will make the necessary arrangements on request.

Travelling Expenses

Under certain circumstances you may be able to get help with travelling expenses to and from hospital, on admission or discharge. Please note, however, travelling expenses for your journey to hospital are payable only if you are in receipt of Income Support or Family Credit. If you wish to make a claim for your expenses, please bring with you your allowance book or confirmation from the Department of Social Security of your entitlement to Income Support or Family Credit. It is also advisable to retain your bus tokens to ensure proper refund.

Money and Valuables

Please try to avoid bringing valuables or large sums of money into the hospital. If this is unavoidable they should be handed to the Nurse in Charge of the Ward immediately on arrival for safekeeping.

NHS Tayside cannot accept responsibility for money or valuables unless they have been handed over for safekeeping and a receipt given.

Consent to Treatment

Your medical care is supervised by a Consultant with the assistance of other Doctors. It is important that you should understand the nature of any treatment which is to be carried out. This will be explained to you by the Doctor and if you are to have an anaesthetic you will be asked to sign a form of agreement. In the case of young people, under the age of 16 years, the consent of their parents or guardian will normally be requested. If you are liable to compulsory detention under the Mental Health Act, special arrangements will apply and you will be informed of these.

Clinical Teaching

Your medical care is directed by a Consultant who has other Doctors and members of staff specialising in particular aspects of hospital work to help him. Among them may be a small number of senior medical students, one of whom may be asked to take a special interest in your progress. They will usually accompany the other members of the team on their rounds. One or two may assist in other ways in looking after you. During your stay in hospital you may also be asked whether you would be willing to take part in a teaching session attended by a number of medical students. Without the willing help given by so many patients the training of Doctors of the future would be impossible and this co-operation is greatly appreciated.

Should you not wish to participate, however, you are entitled to refuse without prejudice to your treatment or care.

Medical Certificates

On admission to hospital, a medical certificate should be issued to you, or your relatives, automatically. If you do not receive a certificate please notify the Nurse in Charge.

Next of Kin

The name, address and telephone number of your next of kin is required by the hospital. Should any changes in this information occur the Nurse in Charge of your ward requires to be notified.

Relatives or friends telephoning the hospital to enquire about you should give the telephonist your ward number and ask to speak to the Nurse in Charge. Ward telephones cannot be used for patients'; personal calls.

Public telephones are available in Carnegie Clinic (first floor) and the main building reception area. The telephone in the main building, however, does not accept incoming calls.

Legal Advice

Any patient requiring legal advice can obtain information from the Nurse in Charge.

Discharge

On your discharge a letter will be sent to your Family Doctor. If your Hospital Doctor wishes to continue treatment or to assess your progress, he will send you an appointment to attend an outpatient clinic. You may also receive follow up visits from the Community Psychiatric Nursing Service or Social Work Department. You may be asked to attend for Day Care or Occupational Therapy and transport may be available. Please ask the Nurse in Charge for details.

On discharge from hospital you will be given a medical certificate should one be required. This should be sent to your employer or your local Department of Social Security. Further medical certificates of incapacity will be the responsibility of your general practitioner.

League of Friends

The League of Friends of Sunnyside Royal Hospital is a voluntary body whose aims are to assist patients and promote their well-being, in particular, the League is involved in arranging concerts, entertainment and visiting for patients, and raising funds for the benefit of the hospital. Voluntary workers are always required, and if you are interested, further information can be obtained from the Nurse in Charge.

Mental Welfare Commission

The Mental Welfare Commission for Scotland is an independent body set up by Parliament to look after the interests of any patient who is suffering from mental illness. The Commission has a duty to safeguard these interests, whether the patient is at home or in hospital, and if in hospital, whether informally or compulsorily detained.

If you or your relatives feel that you have been improperly treated, or that your financial affairs have not been properly looked after, then you may inform the Commission of your grievance.

The address to which you should write for further information is: