Contact, information and updates

On your first visit, please make sure we have your phone number and that you have the number for your loved one’s bedspace. We recommend calling the bedside number directly. If you cannot get through, you can call the unit reception and ask for the bedside nurse.

When you call, please have the patient’s full name and date of birth. We will ask families to choose one person to be the main point of contact. We share medical information with the main family contact. If the patient’s condition changes, we will call that person. We do this to avoid confusion, as different people may understand information differently. It also means our team can focus on caring for patients rather than giving the same update many times.

When you visit, please speak to the bedside nurse for an update. The nurse can explain the plan for the day and answer simple questions. Informal updates from doctors may happen at the bedside.

A senior doctor or consultant can give a detailed update. We may invite you to a quiet room for this, or you can ask for a planned time to talk. If you cannot attend in person, a doctor can call you. We will do our best to meet your needs.

Interpreters are available for most spoken languages and British Sign Language. We use telephone, video link interpreters and text translation services.

Let us know as soon as possible if you require a face-to-face interpreter, as this can take up to 72 hours to arrange.

We also have a video translation service, which we can access instantly on our iPads in the unit. Please let us know if you would like us to communicate with you using this.