General Information

If for any reason you cannot keep your appointment to come into hospital, please telephone the contact number on your admission letter as soon as possible. This is very important as we can then treat another patient in your place.

If you are an English patient and an ambulance has been booked to bring you to hospital and you cannot attend, please telephone the Ambulance Hotline on 01244 370395 (7am to 7pm), to cancel it.

On the morning you are due to come into hospital, please telephone the ward detailed on your admission letter, or contact the Bed Bureau on 01244 365900 to check we have a bed available for you and to confirm your admission time. Like many other hospitals, it is impossible for us to predict how many emergency admissions need to be made during a 24 hour period. This may sometimes mean that a bed may not be available for you on the planned day. We apologise if this situation occurs, and will arrange a new date for you as soon as possible.

If you are having an operation, your letter of admission will tell you if you must not eat and drink before coming into hospital.

If you have any special needs, for instance if you have communication difficulties, please make us aware of these as early as possible. Tell the nurse when you come for your pre-admission appointment or contact our PALS manager (details on the PALS page).

Please let the ward know if you have any special dietary needs, including kosher or halal food. Please make a note of your postcode and bring it along with you. It is needed when you are admitted to your ward.

Please click here for details of how to get to the hospital by car, bus and train, together with information on car parking and disabled parking facilities. The map shows the main hospital entrance and the entrance to the Women and Children's building.

• Please arrive on time. Your admission is arranged to fit in with the time of your operation or treatment.
• For the General Wing, please come to the main hospital entrance. Please follow the signs from reception or ask the Receptionist to direct you to your ward (reception is manned from 8.15am). There are lifts if your ward is on the first floor.
• For Priory Ward (34 - Gynaecology), please come to reception in the Women & Children's building. The ward is on the first floor - there is a lift available