Young Persons Ward Choice

Young Persons Ward Choice

Aged 16 or 17 years old and being admitted to Hospital?

We recognise your needs as a separate group of young people and Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust would like to offer you an informed choice of where you can be cared for. On the paediatric wards, we care for children and young people from the age of 1 day to their 16th birthday. From 16 years onwards whenever possible we will give you a choice of being cared for on a paediatric or adult ward.

What is the difference between a paediatric and adult ward?
On a paediatric ward:

• Most likely cared for in a room with other young people aged 12 years and over. This may or may not be with young people of the same sex, if this is of concern to you, please let the staff know.
• Be cared for by nurses trained specifically to look after children
• Be able to have a parent/carer stay with you at all times if you wish
• Be allowed to have visits from friends outside of school hours, if they are under 18 years of age they must be accompanied and supervised by an adult (this is at the discretion of the nurse in charge)
• You can leave the ward if accompanied by your parent or carer and your condition allows, please inform your nurse if you wish to leave the ward.
• On the paediatric ward the other patients will be children and some of these will be babies who may be very sick.
• Bedside television is free of charge for the majority of the day

On an adult ward:

• You will most likely be in a room with other adults who will be of the same sex.
• You will be cared for by nurses who are trained in looking after adults
• It is very unlikely that you will be able to have a parent / carer to stay
• Visiting hours may apply
• Some of the patients will be very old and very sick
• You will be charged for using bedside television

There will be occasions when your choice cannot be accommodated for various reasons, for example:

• Your medical condition requires specialist care
• Shortage of beds in your chosen ward (in these cases the Bed Managers will be informed of your choice and will try and accommodate you as soon as possible).

Patient Experience
We know that being admitted to hospital can be a difficult and unsettling time for you and your loved ones. If you have any questions or concerns, please do speak with a member of staff on the ward or in the relevant department who will do their best to answer your questions and reassure you.

Feedback
Feedback is really important and useful to us – it can tell us where we are working well and where improvements can be made. There are lots of ways you can share your experience with us including completing our Friends and Family Test – cards are available and can be posted on all wards, departments and clinics at our hospitals. We value your comments and feedback and thank you for taking the time to share this with us.

Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS)
If you have any concerns or questions about your care, we advise you to talk with the nurse in charge or the department manager in the first instance as they are best placed to answer any questions or resolve concerns quickly. If the relevant member of staff is unable to help resolve your concern, you can contact the PALS Team. We offer informal help, advice or support about any aspect of hospital services & experiences.

Our PALS team will liaise with the various departments in our hospitals on your behalf, if you feel unable to do so, to resolve your problems and where appropriate refer to outside help.

If you are still unhappy you can contact the Complaints Department, who can investigate your concerns. You can make a complaint orally, electronically or in writing and we can advise and guide you through the complaints procedure.

How to contact PALS:
Telephone Patient Services: 0300 123 1732 or via email at: wah-tr.PALS@nhs.net
Opening times:
The PALS telephone lines are open Monday to Friday from 8.30am to 4.00pm. Please be aware that you may need to leave a voicemail message, but we aim to return your call within one working day.
If you are unable to understand this leaflet, please communicate with a member of staff.

For additional medical advice, if your symptoms or condition worsens:
Contact your GP
NHS 111: Telephone 111
Get help with your symptoms, NHS111: https://111.nhs.uk/
Information to help you manage your health: www.nhs.uk
In an emergency telephone 999

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