Chosen for exCellenCeA guide to your admission at london Bridge hospital

WelCoMeI would like to welcome you to london Bridge hospital and thank you for

choosing to have your treatment with us. Please take the time to read the

important information enclosed relating to your forthcoming admission.

It is our aim to deliver excellent care at all times, including preparing you

for your admission to the hospital. Whether you are an inpatient or day-case

patient, you will be cared for by an excellent team of professionals who are

dedicated to ensuring you receive the best possible treatment.

I would welcome any feedback you have; please do complete your patient

feedback forms after your procedure, or you can contact us directly through

the hospital website at:

www.londonbridgehospital.london

With best wishes,

John Reay

Chief Executive Officer

3

ConTenTs1. BEFORE YOU COME IN 4

• Pre-assessment 4

• Onlineregistration 7

• Insuranceandfundingarrangements 7

2. IMPORTANT INFORMATION 8

• Instructionsforyoursurgery 8

• Nilbymouth 8

3. YOUR ADMISSION 10

• Patientidentification 10

• Allergies 10

• Smartphonetechnology 10

• Whattowear 12

• Personalbelongings 12

• CanIusemymobile? 12

• Valuables 12

• Whattobring 13

• Visitors 13

4. DURING YOUR STAY 14

• Gettingreadyforyouroperationorprocedure 15

• Afteryouroperation 15

5. GOING HOME 16

• Inpatients 16

• Day-casepatients 16

• Whenyougethome 19

6. OTHER INFORMATION 20

• Infectionpreventionandcontrol 20

• Handwashing 20

• Recentillnessorinfection 20

• Yourenvironment 20

• Patientsrequiringisolationprecautions 21

• Firetestsanddrills 21

• Yourfeedback 21

• Gettinghere 21

• Usefultelephonenumbers 21

7. YOUR GUIDE TO REGISTRATION 22

• HCAHospitalinformation 22

• Paymentandinsurance 23

4

BEFOREYOUCOMEIN

PRE-ASSESSMENT

To make your admission process as

smooth and stress-free as possible, we ask

you to complete an online pre-assessment

questionnairebeforecomingintohospital.

If you prefer, you can also do this by

telephone or face-to-face, where we will

ask you about your previous medical

history, medication and anything else that

may affect your stay with us. This allows

us to identify and address any potential

issues before you come into hospital.

If you have been pre-assessed by

one of our clinical nurse specialists,

youarenotrequiredtocompletean

online assessment.

â Youcancompletethequestionnaireonline at

https://preassessment.hcahealthcare.co.uk

When doing so, you can specify if you

would like one of the team to call you.

If you would prefer to make an

appointment to come in and complete

your pre-assessment or, if you need more

information you can do so by emailing:

pre-assessment.lbh@hcahealthcare.co.uk

If you wish to speak to a pre-assessment

nurse please call 020 7234 2078

Pre-assessment tests

All patients must undergo MrsA screening

– this is painless, involves having swabs

taken and should take no longer than

5minutes.Allpatientsmustbescreened

nomorethan25daysbeforeadmission,

but no fewer than 3 days, to ensure we

have results prior to admission.

Patients who have been an inpatient in

another hospital or who live abroad will

be asked to undergo Cro screening. This

involves an additional swab being taken.

â Youwillbesentaletterfromthehospital stating what time you need to

arrive for admission. If you have any

queriesaboutyouradmissiondateor

time, please contact your Consultant’s

office or the Business Office helpline on

020 7234 2996 and select option 4.

BEFOREYOUCOMEINPre-assessmentonline registrationInsurance and funding arrangements

5

6

BEFOREYOUCOMEINPre-assessmentonline registrationInsurance and funding arrangements

7

ONLINE REGISTRATION

â To ensure your prompt admission

to the ward, please complete the online

registration form at

https://registrations.hcahealthcare.co.uk

YourloginwhenpromptedisLBH/7000

INSURANCE AND FUNDING ARRANGEMENTS

Insured patients

It is your responsibility to ensure your

coverisadequatetopayfortreatment.Itis

imperative that you contact your insurance

company prior to treatment in order to

verify that the condition to be treated is

covered under the terms of your policy.

The hospital will process insurance claims

directly with approved insurers on your

behalf, if you have provided claim details.

Ifcoverisnotconfirmedfullpaymentwill

berequestedonadmission.

â If you need to contact us regarding

your insurance please email us at

LBH.pre-admissions@hcahealthcare.co.uk

Self-funding patients

If you have elected to pay for your treatment,

itisimperativethatyouobtainadefinitive

costfromtheSelfPayDepartmentatLondon

Bridge hospital.

â If you need to contact us regarding

the cost of your treatment, please email

us at selfpayLBH@hcahealthcare.co.uk

Third-party sponsors

If you accept a self-funding price, the

finalinvoicewillbepresentedasa

one-line invoice following your discharge.

If you intend to claim back from a

third-party sponsor, it is likely that they

willrequireanitemisedinvoice.Please

contact the self-Pay Team, who will

provide a cost estimate.

full payment must be made prior to

admission by one of the following methods:

•Debit/creditcard(pleasecall

020 7234 2996 and select option 2)

•Onlineatwww.hcahospitals.co.uk

(seethe‘Patientinformation’section)

•Cashpayment(mustbepoundssterling)

•Chequepayment(mustbereceived

atleast10dayspriortoadmission)

•Bankersdraft(payableonor

before admission)

•Banktransferpaymentshouldbe

made to:

Barclays Bank plc

St John’s Wood and

Swiss Cottage Branch

PO Box 2764

London NW3 6JD

Sort Code 20-74-63

Account Number 80933279

International Swift Code BARCGB22

Pleaserequestatransmissionreportfrom

your bank and bring it with you. If this

is not provided then it could delay your

refund, should money need to be returned.

In the event that you are due a refund,

this can only be processed following

discharge. hCA operates a strict refund

policy. All refunds must be paid in the

same manner as the original payment was

received, unless this was paid in cash,

inwhichcaseachequewillbeissued.

Please note that cash cannot be refunded

on site.

Please note that all professional fees are

excluded from prices issued by the hospital.

Credit/debit card details

Pleasebringyourcredit/debitcarddetails

asyouwillberequiredtocompletea

credit card mandate to cover any extra

costs, such as telephone calls, guest

meals, take-home medication and

mobility aids.

8

â INSTRUCTIONS FOR YOUR SURGERY

It is essential that you follow the

instructions given to you. This is for

your own safety and, if not followed,

could result in your procedure being

postponed or cancelled on the day.

NIL BY MOUTH – when to stop eating and drinking prior to your procedure

The following is applicable if you are

having general anaesthetic or sedation on

the day of your admission:

• You must not have anything to eat from

five hours prior to your admission time;

this includes chewing gum and sweets.*

• You can, and should, continue to drink

water up to one hour before your

admission time.*

• If you are diabetic, please discuss your

fasting times and medications with

your Consultant.

*This will ensure that you have been

fasting for the recommended time of

six hours for food and two hours for water,

prior to the time of your procedure.

If you are coming in for a very early

admission time, it is advisable to have

something to eat before going to bed and

get up early enough so you are still able to

have water before your admission time.

Bowel surgery

If you are having bowel surgery, you will

begivenspecificinstructionsbyyour

Consultant regarding bowel preparation,

diet and nil-by-mouth times – please

ensure you follow these instructions.

YOU SHOULD NOT drink alcohol for at

least24hoursbeforeyouradmission,as

it will alter the effects of an anaesthetic

or sedation.

DO NOT smoke on the day of surgery.

If you are having a local anaesthetic

Youdonotneedtofastbeforeyour

operation or procedure so you may have

a light meal up to two hours before your

admission time.

Medications

YourConsultantwillhavediscussedany

medications you may be taking and will

inform you if you should stop taking them

or continue as usual. If you are unsure,

please contact the Consultant prior to

your admission.

What if I’m coming in for a colonoscopy?

The preparation is different for

colonoscopy patients, as it is important

you have a clean bowel for the procedure.

FollowyourConsultant’sfastingprotocol.It

isimportanttoremainadequatelyhydrated

throughout your bowel preparation, so

up to three litres of water is permitted.

however, you should stop drinking water

two hours before your procedure.

IMPorTAnT InforMATIon Instructions for your surgeryNILBYMOUTH–whentostopeatinganddrinking prior to your procedure

IMPorTAnT InforMATIon– when to stop eating and drinking prior to your procedure

9

10

Please report to the main reception; the

concierges outside the hospital will guide

youifrequired.Pleasenotethatifyou

arrive much earlier than your admission

time your bed may not be available

immediately.Youwillbeescortedto

your room by a porter, who will explain

the room facilities, and you will then be

visitedbytheadmissionsofficer,whowill

confirmyourdetailsandaskyoutosign

the relevant registration documents.

IfyouaretobeadmittedtotheDay

surgery unit, you will be escorted to your

bed by a member of the admissions team,

who will explain the facilities.

A nurse will complete the admission

process with you. This will include:

•Confirmingyouridentity

•Completingpaperwork

•Askingyouquestionsaboutyourself

and your health

•Takingyourbloodpressure,pulse

and temperature

PATIENT IDENTIFICATION

Youwillbegiventwohospitalbracelets

with your name and details on them.

Duringyourstayyouwillbeaskedona

numberofoccasionstoconfirmyourname

and date of birth, because our checking

procedurerequiresustoconfirmcertain

details are correct. This is standard practice

for any patient having an operation as we

have to ensure the correct procedure is

carried out. We do know who you are and

why you are in hospital, but need to check

our information for safety reasons.

ALLERGIES

If you are allergic to anything such as certain

food, medication or latex, please tell your

nurse and you will receive red allergy bands

to alert all staff to your allergy status.

â SMARTPHONE TECHNOLOGY

In order to provide the highest levels

of care, our staff use the latest secure

smartphone technology to help them

communicate with each other instantly.

If you see our doctors, nurses or any other

member of staff using mobile devices,

please be assured that they are working

to provide you with the best possible

care.Ifyouhaveanyquestionsaboutthe

technology they are using, please do ask –

they will always be happy to explain.

YOURADMISSION

YOURADMISSIONPatientidentificationAllergiessmartphone technologyWhat to wearPersonal belongingsCanIusemymobile?ValuablesWhat to bring Visitors

11

12

WHAT TO WEAR

Wearloosecomfortableclothesandflat

or low-heeled enclosed shoes. Please

remember that all jewellery will need to be

removed prior to going to theatre so it may

be best to leave this at home. Please also

removeanyartificialnails,acrylicsandnail

varnish before you come into hospital.

PERSONAL BELONGINGS

Youwillhavealockerandawardrobein

your room for your personal possessions,

however this space is limited so please only

bringwhatyouwillneed.Yourroomwill

be locked and the nurse will look after the

key while you are having your operation,

investigation or procedure.

CAN I USE MY MOBILE?Please check with the nurse in charge before using your mobile, as some areas of the hospital restrict their use because theymayaffectthemedicalequipment.some patients may also wear electronic support devices throughout their stay. There is free WI-fI throughout the hospital.

VALUABLES

Please do not bring jewellery or large

sums of money with you. If this is

unavoidable, please ask a relative or

friend to look after them. There is a

small safe in your wardrobe where you

should lock any valuables, however,

please note that it is not large enough to

accommodate a standard laptop.

London Bridge Hospital cannot be held

responsible for any loss or damage to

property brought into the hospital.

YOURADMISSIONPatientidentificationAllergiessmartphone technologyWhat to wearPersonal belongingsCanIusemymobile?ValuablesWhat to bring Visitors

13

â WHAT TO BRING

Please bring the following items in with you:

•Alltablets,medicationsandinhalersthat

you are currently taking, in the original

packaging, or any prescriptions you have,

butDONOTbringinyourdosettebox

•Apairofclosed-back,flat-soled

shoes,trainersorwell-fittingslippers

for your safety

•YourHCAHospitalIDcardifyouhave

been a patient at a hCA hospital before

•AnyX-rays,scansorotherappropriate

reports or letters

•Anytoiletriesyourequire;aerosols should

not be used in the bedrooms as they can

set off the smoke detectors, however they

may be used in the bathrooms if the door

is closed

•Glasses/contactlenses,casesandsolutions

•Somethingtohelpyoupassthetime,such

as a laptop, books, magazines or puzzles

•Anychargersyoumayneedfortelephones

and laptops

•Allelectricaldevicesandchargerswill

need to be PAT tested by our engineering

team prior to being plugged in to ensure

thattheyaresafeanddonotposeafire

risk. Please speak to your nurse who will

arrange for this to be done.

•E-cigarettesarenotpermittedanywhere

at this site

VISITORS

There are no restrictions on visiting

hours for inpatients during the daytime,

but please limit your visitors to a

maximum of three or four at any one

time. In the evening, please ask them to

leaveby10pm.Ifthereareexceptional

circumstances, please discuss these with

the nurse in charge.

We ask that all visitors stay away if they

are feeling unwell or have had sickness or

diarrhoeawithinthelast48hours.

All visitors are asked to wash their hands

or use the hand sanitisers when they arrive

at our hospital and before they enter your

room to reduce the risk of infections.

Children are welcome to visit, but must be

supervised by an adult at all times. hospital

staff cannot be asked to care for visiting

children under any circumstances, and

children are not allowed to stay overnight.

Calls from friends or relatives can be

made to the private telephone by your

bed. Please ask your callers to call the

ward you are staying in, and a nurse will

putthemthrough(see‘Usefultelephone

numbers’onpage21ofthisbooklet).

Alternatively, they can call the main

switchboard on 020 7407 3100 and ask

to be put through to your room.

Staying overnight

In exceptional circumstances, your

relatives may wish to stay overnight.

Please note there are a number of criteria

that the nursing staff must consider when

making the decision to allow someone to

stay overnight with you. These take into

accounthealthandsafety,securityandfire

regulationsaswellasthebenefittoyou,

the patient. With these factors in mind,

only one person would be allowed to stay

overnight and a charge is made for this

service. We are not licensed to allow child

visitorsundertheageof18tostayatthe

hospital, for their own safety, and cannot

permit this under any circumstances.

Criteria:

1.Thepatienthasbeenassessedbytheir

Consultant or nurse as critically ill

2.Therelative/friendisactingasacarer/

interpreter/chaperoneforthepatient

3. A patient who needs emotional support

during their end-of-life care

4.Thepatientisunder18yearsofage

14

DURINGYOURSTAY

DURINGYOURSTAYGettingreadyforyouroperationorprocedureAfter your operation

15

We encourage you and your relatives or

carers to get involved with your care at

every point. The nurse who admits you

will discuss and plan your individual care,

telling you what preparations need to be

made and what to expect before treatment.

Please mention any special needs you

may have. It is also a good idea to let the

ward team know if you have, or you are,

a carer.

GETTING READY FOR YOUR OPERATION OR PROCEDURE

Yoursurgeonand/oranaesthetistwillvisit

you before your procedure and ask you

to sign a consent form, unless you have

already done this during your outpatient

appointment.YourConsultantornurse

will give you a copy of the consent form

for your own records. This is an excellent

time to ask your Consultant and nurses

what you should expect immediately after

your procedure.

If you are having an operation on a

particular part of the body, the surgeon

will mark this area now.

The nurses will check your personal

details again before taking you to the

operating theatre.

Female patients and pregnancy testing

Prior to undergoing any procedure involving

general anaesthetic, a pregnancy test is

requiredforfemalepatientsofchildbearing

potential. All of our female patients of

child-bearing potential will be asked to

complete our Assessment of Pregnancy form

on admission, which allows us to assess

whetherapregnancytestisrequired.This

also applies to inpatient gynaecological

procedures involving general anaesthetic,

certain medications and certain imaging

procedures(suchasX-ray,CTscan,MRI

and nuclear medicine).

Although the risk is very small, certain drugs

and imaging procedures may cause harm

to a foetus and it is important that we know

if this could be a risk for the patient and

their pregnancy.

All of our female patients of child-bearing potential will be asked to complete our Assessment of Pregnancy form on admission, which allows us to assess whetherapregnancytestisrequired.

AFTER YOUR OPERATIONAfter your procedure you will be cared for by our experienced nursing teams, rMos and other allied healthcare professionals for the remainder of your stay.

If you have pain following your procedure, please inform a member of staff.Youshouldexpectanypainyouexperience to be mild and it should not stop you carrying out normal activities.

We are proud of our very low infection rates but in the event that you do develop an infection we may ask that your visitors are restricted to a minimum. The nursing staff will discuss this with you and your visitors.Ifyouhaveanyquestionspleaseask your nurse or rMo who will be able toansweryourqueries.

16

It is very important that we start planning

your discharge at the earliest point to

ensure that you are fully prepared and

have everything you need before you

leave the hospital; ideally this should

start before you come into hospital at

your pre-assessment. This is to ensure that

we do not delay your discharge and that

everything is in place for you to go home,

where you can continue your recovery

with all the necessary support. If you have

not been pre-assessed, we will start the

planning on your admission.

The type of care you will need depends

on the type of treatment you have had.

Yourcareristheretoensureyoursafety

and wellbeing at home.

This is for your own safety.

INPATIENTS

It is important that you discuss your

discharge time with your nurse. We do

requestthatonthedayofyourdischarge

youarrangetobecollectedby10.30am.

however, if there is a medical or other

reason for you to be discharged at a later

time this will be arranged.

It is advisable to have someone to escort

you home on the day of discharge; please

discuss your arrangements with the

nursing team.

This is for your own safety.

DAY-CASE PATIENTS

If you have had an operation under

IVsedationorgeneralanaestheticyou

must arrange for a responsible adult

toescortyouhomebycarortaxi(or

appropriate public transport), and care

for you for the next 24 hours.

Copies of test results

Youareentitledtorequestacopyof

any tests such as radiological exams

and blood tests carried out during your

stay, however, these test results must be

discussedwithyourConsultantfirstso

they can be put into context.

Take-home medications

Youmaybeprescribedmedications

totakehomewithyou.Yournurse

or pharmacist will discuss these and

explain them to you before you go home.

Insurance companies do not cover the

cost of take-home medications or any

physiotherapy aids, including crutches

and slings that are taken off-site.

GOINGHOMEInpatientsDay-casepatientsWhen you get home

GOINGHOME

17

18

GOINGHOMEInpatientsDay-casepatientsWhen you get home

19

Patient information

YouwillbegivenaletterforyourGPto

takehomewithyou.YourConsultantwill

alsowritetoyourGP.

If you have had a general anaesthetic, you

will be given a patient information sheet

on what to expect over the next few days,

and you will be given written information

relating to your procedure and recovery.

Ifyouorarelativehaveanyquestions

before you leave, please ensure you speak

to a member of the nursing staff.

WHEN YOU GET HOME

Advice for patients

•Youmayfeeltired,soonlydoasmuch

as you feel able

•Donotoperatemachineryordrive

acarfor24-48hoursafterageneral

anaesthetic

•Drinkplentyoffluidsandeatlight

meals but do not drink any alcohol

foratleast24hours

•Pleasefollowanyspecificadvice

from the nursing and medical staff

when taking prescribed medication,

including painkillers

•Trytoarrangehelpwithbathingor

showering, as you may feel light-headed

when getting out of the bath or unsteady

onyourfeetintheshowerforthefirst

24hours

•Donotmakeanyimportantdecisionsor

signanycontractsforatleast24hoursafter

having a general anaesthetic or sedation

After 24-48 hours you should be feeling

considerably better and will need less

support and help.

Advice for carers

•Helpwithhouseholdactivitiessuch

as cooking and cleaning

•Offerplentyoffluidstodrink

(notalcohol)

•Helpwithwashing/bathingand

getting dressed

•Ensurepainkillersaretakenas

prescribed/advised

•Ensurethatyouandthepatientareaware

of the common complications following

surgery and what to do if they occur, such

as bleeding, oozing, pain, redness, signs

of infection, swelling and temperature

•Ifyouarehelpingtocareforthewound

to minimise the risk of infection, please

ensure that you wash your hands with

soap and water and use a clean towel to

drythembeforeanycontactwiththesite/

dressing and again following completion

of the task. Please ensure that the dressing

is done in an area away from open

windows and any pets that may be in the

home. If you notice any signs of infection,

please contact the ward for advice – signs

of infection are temperature, redness,

swelling, oozing and pain.

Queries and concerns

If you have any problems you wish

to discuss following your operation,

procedure or treatment, please phone

the number provided on your discharge

information. Alternatively, please call

020 7407 3100 and ask to speak to the

duty manager, who will be able to help.

If you feel you need to be seen by a

doctor in an emergency related to

your hospital stay, please contact your

Consultant,GPorgotoyournearest

AccidentandEmergencyDepartment.

20

INFECTION PREVENTION AND CONTROL

At london Bridge hospital, we are proud

to have an extremely low infection rate.

our infection control nurse works closely

with all of our staff to minimise the risk

of infection for our patients, and we

encourage you to also take an active role

in helping us to maintain our standards.

We have strict measures in place to ensure

that you are protected to the best of our

ability; these include mandatory training

in infection prevention and control for all

our staff.

Methicillin resistant staphylococcus

aureus (MRSA)

â Around30percentofthepopulation carries MrsA in their nose. All

patients being admitted to our hospital, or

having treatment in a designated high-risk

areasuchastheRenalDialysisUnit,will

berequiredtoundergoscreeningforthis

micro-organism.

If the screening returns a positive

result,youmayberequiredtoundergo

asuppression/eradicationtreatment

consisting of an antiseptic wash and a

nasal ointment. This is simply a protective

measure so please do not be concerned.

HAND WASHING

Alcohol hand sanitiser is available

throughout the hospital and all staff and

visitors are encouraged to use this on

entry and exit to all departments.

Youcanhelptoreducetheriskof

infection in the following ways:

RECENT ILLNESS OR INFECTION

•Beforearrivalandonadmission,please

inform the nursing staff of any recent

illness, such as diarrhoea or vomiting, or

infectionsthathaverequiredantibiotics

•Washyourhandsbeforemealsandafter

using toilet facilities; if you are unable to

get to the bathroom to do this, please ask

your nurse to provide you with wipes

•Donottouchanyofyourwounds,

cannula dressings, or catheters and drains

•Reportanyloose,soiledorwet

dressings to the nursing staff to ensure

they are changed

•Ifclothingbecomessoiledorwet,please

change into clean clothes; your nurse will

help you with this if you need assistance

Your visitors

•Pleaseaskyourvisitorstostayaway

fromthehospitalfor48hoursifthey

have been, or are feeling, unwell

•Askyourvisitorstousethealcoholhand

sanitiser on arrival in your room

•Donotallowvisitorstolookatortouch

your wound and cannula sites

•Donotallowvisitorstositorreston

your bed

•Askvisitorstousethedesignatedtoilet

facilities,shouldtheyrequirethem–

they should not use your bathroom

•Ifyourvisitorsworkinanenvironment

where they have close contact with

other people or animals, such as nurses

and vets, please ask them to change out

of their uniform before visiting you

YOUR ENVIRONMENT

Cleaning practices are regularly

monitored and all areas audited to ensure

that high standards are maintained and

that guidelines and policies are current

and being adhered to. Please report any

areas of concern to staff.

oTher InforMATIonInfection prevention and controlhand washingrecent illness or infectionYourenvironmentPatientsrequiringisolationprecautionsfire tests and drillsYourfeedbackGettinghereUsefultelephonenumbers

oTher InforMATIon

21

PATIENTS REQUIRING ISOLATION PRECAUTIONS

Youmayberequiredtobenursedwith

isolation precautions. This may be

becauseofaknownornewlyacquired

specifictypeofinfection,orbecause

of your own immune status. This will

involve staff and on occasions visitors

beingrequiredtotakepartinadditional

precautions when entering your room.

nursing staff will discuss this with you

and your visitors, and can answer any

questionsyoumayhave.

FIRE TESTS AND DRILLS

At london Bridge hospital, we take the

safety of our patients, visitors and staff very

seriously. our staff take regular training,

wehavethelatestevacuationequipment,

our buildings are constructed to the very

highest standards and we are subject to

frequentandregularexternalinspection.

our alarms are tested every Tuesday,

startingat10am,anddrillsareconducted

annually.Yournursingstaffwillinform

you when a drill is taking place; you will

not be expected to participate.

YOUR FEEDBACK

If you have a comment, suggestion or

complaint about any aspect of our service,

please approach a member of staff in the

relevant department and they will attempt

toresolvethingsasquicklyaspossible.

YouwillbegivenaPatientFeedback

Questionnaire to complete and we

encourage your participation.

GETTING HERE

london Bridge hospital is situated on

the south side of the river Thames. We

are next to london Bridge mainline and

underground stations, with easy access

to the City.

Train

london Bridge station is serviced by trains

from Kent and surrey, and offers direct

connections to Charing Cross, Cannon

street, Waterloo east and Blackfriars

stations. Trains also connect directly on

the Thameslink line.

Underground

london Bridge station is on the Jubilee

LineandNorthernLine(CityBranch).

Please take the Tooley street exit.

By car

There are no car parking facilities

available at the hospital, and there is

limitedparkingnearby.Youcanbe

dropped off and collected by car or taxi

outside the main door of the hospital,

whereparkingisavailablefor15minutes.

The nearest nCP car park is at

KiplingStreet,SE13RU.

Taxi

The hospital reception can book taxis

for you and your visitors through our

local taxi company; black cabs are also

available at london Bridge station.

Buses

There are numerous buses that pass by the

hospital on Tooley street, from london

Bridge, or from outside the main entrance

of london Bridge station.

â USEFUL TELEPHONE NUMBERS

reservations

020 7234 2943

Patient Accounts

020 7234 2996

second floor Ward

020 7234 2271

Third floor Ward

020 7234 2350

fourth floor Ward

020 7234 2430

fifth floor Ward

020 7234 2571

IntensiveCareUnit

first floor

020 7234 2113

IntensiveCareUnit

Third floor

020 7234 2011

DaySurgeryUnit

020 7234 2581

ImagingDepartment

020 7234 2773

MiddleEasternDepartment

020 7234 2459

OutpatientDepartment

020 7234 2107

22

This information forms part of your terms

and conditions of admission, and should

be read in conjunction with the summary

printed on the reverse of the hCA hospitals

“Admission and registration” form.

HCA HOSPITAL INFORMATION

HCA International

london has long been recognised as a

centre of medical excellence and hCA

is the largest private hospital group in

the capital, with six world-class acute

hospitals and hCA laboratories. The

group has an international reputation for

the excellence of its services including

cardiac care, oncology, neurosurgery and

rehabilitation and assisted conception

andwomen’shealth.Workingclosely

withmedicalteamsatLondon’steaching

hospitals,thegroup’shospitalsareknown

tomakeuseoftheverylatestequipment

andmedicaltechniquesandtosupport

research in a number of important areas

of medicine.

hCA is committed to delivering high

qualitycareandwemeasureandpublish

a wide range of outcomes indicators

sothatyoucanbeconfidentyou

have chosen the best hospital for your

treatment. for further information on our

comprehensivequalityprogrammeplease

see our website

www.hcahospitals.co.uk/qualityreport

Your care

A patient is under the care and control of

his or her physician or surgeon who may

also involve other doctors in treatment if

appropriate. hCA hospital staff provide

careandtreatmentunderthedoctors’

instructions. At all times your course

of treatment will be decided by your

doctor(s)ortheirnominatedpractitioners

(e.g.physiotherapists).Hospitalcaredoes

notinclude“SpecialNursing”requested

by a patient or doctor, for reasons other

than medical necessity. The physician or

surgeon who admits you is not usually

an employee of this company and will

normally invoice you separately for his or

herservices.YourConsultantisresponsible

forarrangingconsentforspecificmedical

orsurgicaltreatmentifitisrequired.The

consentofaguardianisrequiredifthe

patientisunder16yearsofage.Inthe

case of a minor from overseas, an embassy

officialmayacceptresponsibility.

The Law and your liability

for the purposes of this document

“hospital” shall mean any hospital or

facilityownedbyHCA.Unlessotherwise

stated, the contract is between the

hospital providing the services and the

patient. The contract shall be governed

by and construed in accordance with

english law and the english Court shall

have exclusive jurisdiction. separate

contracts will usually exist between the

patientandthephysician(s)andwhere

applicablebetweenthepatientandhis/

hersponsororinsurer.Thepatient’s,

representative’sorguarantor’ssignature

confirmsacceptanceofthetermsand

conditions of admission contained in the

“Admission and registration” form and

this booklet. Patients under the age of

18cannotsignthefinancialagreement.

In this event the form must be signed

by a parent or guarantor. The patient

is liable for all personal expenses and

any charges not settled by an insurer or

sponsor. If there are delays in settlement,

there may be penalties, for example the

charging of interest or the revoking of

discounts, for which the patient will be

liable.Ifyoudohaveanyquestionsplease

call our hospital Patient Administration

Department.Anyprivatemedical

insurance or sponsorship arrangement

will be between you and your insurer

or sponsor.

Admission/Registration requirements

The content of this booklet forms part of

the terms and conditions of admission,

a summary of which is printed on the

reverse of the hCA “Admission and

registration” form, and should be read in

conjunction with it. We ask you to sign

the form prior to treatment at any hCA

hospital.Signingtheformconfirmsthat

you undertake ultimate responsibility for

the hospital charges, whether you are

YOURGUIDETOREGISTRATION

YOURGUIDETOREGISTRATIONhCA hospital informationPayment and insurance

23

insured, sponsored or self-funding, and

that you agree we can use information

about you within the limitations of the

DataProtectionAct1998.

Youshouldsignandreturntheformin

advance of attendance or at the time of

admission or registration. When you arrive

at the hospital or any of our facilities,

we would like to ensure you have no

concerns about:

•Thearrangementsmadeforsettling

your account.

•Thewaywewillhandleinformation

about you, both to support treatment

and to settle your account.

We urge you to consider such matters now,

before you attend one of our facilities.

PAYMENT AND INSURANCE

Payment responsibilities

Thecompanypolicyrequirespayment

in full in advance, or at the time of

treatment on all accounts not guaranteed

by an approved third party. Interest

maybechargedattherateof12%per

annum, calculated from the date of

discharge or the date of the invoice if an

invoice is presented prior to discharge,

on all accounts where credit has not

been granted and there are delays in

payment.Wherefixedprice,contractual

or any other policy discounts have been

appliedtoanaccountandsubsequently

thehospitalexperiencesdifficultiesin

collecting the account, the hospital

management reserves the right to reverse

the discount and to re-bill the account in

full. The amount shown as payable on the

invoice is net of discounts. Any further

collection costs incurred by the hospital

(includingfeesbilledbycollection

agencies, credit reference agencies and

solicitors)willbeaddedtothefinal

amount payable.

Patients with medical insurance

Itisthepatientortheirrepresentative’s

responsibilitytoensurecoverisadequate

to pay for treatment. We strongly

recommendthatpatients/representative

contact their insurance company prior

to treatment in order to check cover

and the terms of the policy. The hospital

will process insurance claims directly

withapprovedinsurersonthepatient’s

behalf, if the patient has provided claim

details.Itisthepatient’s/representative’s

responsibility to verify with the insurer

that the condition to be treated is

covered by the insurance. The hospital

isnotresponsibleforthisverification.

Insufficientdocumentationwillprevent

direct settlement and will result in the

account being treated as self funding. Any

shortfallsinbenefitarethepatient’sor

theirrepresentative’sresponsibility.Inall

circumstances, responsibility for payment

of hospital accounts rests ultimately with

the patient. should any sponsorship or

guarantee fail, or insurance claim be

declined in whole or in part, the patient

willberequiredtopaytheoutstanding

balance in full.

Who pays for my treatment?

While, in the majority of cases, your

medical insurer will pay for all your

treatment at our hospitals, it is important

to note that there are certain treatments

that your medical insurer may not pay for.

By signing the Admission and registration

form, you agree that, if your insurer does

not pay for any part of your treatment, you

will pay this yourself.

When might my insurance company

refuse to pay for treatment?

The treatment which your medical insurer

will cover will depend on a number of

factors, such as which insurance company

you are insured with, what policy you

hold and what level of insurance you

have. however, if you are having any

of the following types of treatment, we

strongly recommend that you contact

your insurance company and ask them

to clarify what portion of the costs they

will cover. These are the treatments where

patientsmostcommonlyfacedifficulties

with their insurance cover:

Treatment for chronic illnesses

Treatment for chronic conditions is

generallyexcludedfromUKinsurance

policies. Chronic conditions are explained

in the Association of British Insurers Private

MedicalInsuranceCommonDefinitions

guidance document this can be found at

www.abi.org.uk/Display/File/Child/852/

PMICommon_Definitiond.pdf.Forexample,

you may not be covered for treatment of

digestiveconditionssuchasCrohn’sdisease

or irritable bowel syndrome.

Screening

screening and routine testing are excluded

fromsomeUKinsurancepolicies.This

might include, for example, scanning to

detect early indications of heart disease

and also testing to ensure that you are not

carrying MrsA. It is advised that you check

with your insurance company on these.

Experimental treatment

some treatments are considered

experimental by particular insurance

companies and are therefore not covered

by insurance policies. This applies most

typically to newly licensed cancer drugs

and certain prostheses.

24

Treatment not deemed to be

medically necessary

some insurance companies use care

guidelines that may not match the

professional medical opinion of nursing

staff, your Consultant and other medical

professionals providing your treatment. In

some cases this can result in certain parts

of the care we have provided not being

funded by your insurer.

Consultant Professional Fees

In most cases Consultant fees are billed

separately, and does not form part of

hospital issued invoices. It might be

advised to check with your insurer and or

sponsor if there are any additional actions

you need to take regarding these.

Cosmetic surgery and treatments

Cosmetic surgery is not generally

undertaken for the treatment of a medical

condition and is therefore excluded from

mostUKinsurancepolicies.

If you are unsure about your insurance

coverage, please speak to our staff who can

help you to contact your insurance company.

Pre-Authorisation

Most private medical insurance

companiesnowrequireclaimstobe

authorised before a patient may be treated

ataprivatehospital.Ifconfirmationof

cover cannot be obtained by the time of

admission/registration,youwillbetreated

as self funding and asked to pay a deposit

or settle the account in full and claim

back from your insurer. exclusions may be

due to your previous medical condition

or to a general exclusion within your

policy, for example: pregnancies following

assisted conception treatment. It is always

wisetocheckforanyexclusionorbenefit

limits before commencement of treatment.

Six-Week Clause

some insurance policies contain a

six-week clause, which permits private

medical attention only if you cannot be

admitted to an nhs hospital within six

weeks; it is imperative that the patient

discusses this with their Consultant and

insurance company before the planned

treatment date.

Direct Settlement, Shortfalls

and Exclusions

The claim form must be completed by

the patient or their representative and

forwardedtotheConsultantorGP

arranging treatment.

International policies

hCA has agreements with a number of

overseas insurance companies that sell

international medical insurance products.

If no agreement is in place, the patient

isrequiredtopayinfullandclaimback

monies from their insurer at a later date.

Sponsored patients

If a company, employer or other third

party agrees to settle the account, they

will need to provide a letter of guarantee

along with a deposit. We accept direct

settlement arrangements only with third

parties with whom we have a prior

arrangement. If such an agreement is not

in place, the patient will be asked to settle

their account with us and seek to recover

the sum from their sponsor.

letters of guarantee must be addressed

to the hospital and must be patient,

treatmentanddatespecificincluding

relevant reference numbers. The letter will

need to specify any charges that are not

includedandanyspecialrequestsforthe

format of the account.

Self-funding patients

Werequirepaymentinfulloradepositon

or before the time of treatment for self-

fundingpatients.Thehospitalmayrequire

further payments on account, with payment

of the balance in full on discharge.

The value of the deposit will vary with

treatment and is at the discretion of the

hospital providing treatment. organising

payment in advance of your treatment will

save considerable time on the day of your

visit particularly at times when activity is

high. Quotations or estimates given by

a physician, Consultant or their staff are

notvalidunlessconfirmedinwritingby

the hospital. hospital prices are normally

subject to annual review.

Packaged Accounts

Packaged accounts are billed as a one

line bill, are normally discounted, and

assume a routine stay without medical

complications. They are offered on the

basis that full payment is made before,

or on admission, and payment for any

additional items is settled before discharge.

Package prices do not usually include:

•Ambulancecharges

•Telephoneorpersonalexpenses,guest

meals etc.

•Outpatientdrugsanddressings

•Specialistmedication

•Physiotherapyaids,crutches,neck

braces etc.

•Companionfees

•Specialnursing

•Histologytests

•Additionalnight(s)

•Additionalprocedure(s)

YOURGUIDETOREGISTRATIONhCA hospital informationPayment and insurance

25

•Consultantfees

•Prosthesis

If in doubt please ask a member of the

Patient Administration Department.

Please read the details of your particular

agreement.Ensureyouunderstandwhat’s

not included in the package price. If there

are any unexpected complications, the

hospital management reserves the right to

re-bill on an item of service basis. Accounts

notsettledondeparturemaynotqualifyfor

discountandwillberenderedinfull.Your

agreement may involve separate charges,

as these items are individual to each

patientandarespecifiedbyyourdoctor.

Any charges not included in the package

price will attract additional costs that you

willberequiredtosettle.Wedonotwant

you to have any unpleasant surprises in

relation to the account.

Outpatient services

Payment for outpatient services must be

made in full on the day of treatment,

except where a direct settlement

agreementexistswithaUKthirdparty/

insurers. If payment is delayed or refused

in whole or part, we will invoice patients

for immediate settlement.

Exceptions

Please refer to all prior listed information.

Occasions when a patient may be refused

treatment

hCA regrets that patients arriving

for treatment will not be admitted

or registered if they arrive without

satisfactory insurance or sponsorship

documentation or any acceptable method

of prepayment. on such an occasion,

Admission and registration staff will

contact the Admitting Consultant to

discuss the situation.

Deposits

We ask for deposits at admission for

patients who:

•Areself-funding

•Donothavecoverwitharecognised

insurance company

•Havenothadtheircoverconfirmedby

their insurer

•Donothavesuitableguarantoror

sponsor documentation

We try, wherever timing and available

information permits, to inform patients

in advance and in writing of payment

requiredonregistration/admission.

Invoices

We normally bill outpatients on the day

of service, unless they are undergoing

regular recurring treatment, in which case

accounts may be billed weekly or monthly.

short stay inpatients are normally billed

for treatment at or soon after discharge,

although there may be some delayed

charges. longer stay patients may be billed

atintervalsduringtheirstay.Unlessthe

patient holds full medical insurance cover

or sponsorship with an approved body or

guarantor,adepositwillberequiredat

admission and thereafter the hospital may

requirefurtherpaymentsonaccount.All

patients should visit the cashier before

leaving the hospital to ensure that all

administration is complete.

Making payments

Payment may be made by:

Debit or credit card

We accept most major credit or

debitcards.Wenormallyrequirethe

completion of a credit card mandate

before admission to cover any additional

or personal expenses. The card will be

debited for outstanding charges either on

day of treatment or shortly after the day

of discharge. The hospital will provide an

invoice for all charges made against the

card together with the credit card voucher.

Cheque

Payment by cheque must be made at

least 10 working days prior to admission

to allow funds to clear. Cheques can be

accepted for smaller amounts billed, such

as personal expenses, if they are drawn

on a UK bank and supported by a valid

guarantee card.

Cash

CashneedstobeinPOUNDSSTERLING.

We recommend you visit a bank or

exchange to convert any foreign monies

prior to admission.

Bank transfer

Banks can usually generate same day

transfers by fax from current accounts on

instruction from the account signatory.

Please make sure the details include

thepatient’sfullnameandHCAPatient

Account number, if you have one.

Payment should be made payable to our

bank.Pleaserequestatransmissionreport

from your bank and bring it with you.

26

Barclays Bank plc

st Johns Wood and swiss Cottage Branch

POBox2764

LondonNW36JD

SortCode:20-74-63

Accountnumber:80933279

International swift Code number:

BARCGB22

Payment refunds

Please note that if deposit funds are

due back to you following completion

of treatment or your discharge from an

hCA facility, hCA operates a strict refund

policy as follows:

All refunds must be paid in the same manner

as the original payment was received unless

wherepaidincashandachequewillbe

issued. If deposit funds are paid via a bank

transfer, a letter of proof must be provided

at time of admission clearly stipulating the

followingdetailsasconfirmationofwhere

payment originated from:

Payee

Bank Swift Code

IBAN Number

All payments via bank transfer should be

made to the same bank account that the

original payment was received.

refunds will only be processed when

allchargeshavebeenfinalised.Please

note cash can not be refunded on site.

Arrangements can be made via our Patient

Administration Department’.

Data Protection Act 1998

TheDataProtectionAct1998(DPA98)

sets the rules for the processing of personal

information and applies to both manual

and computer records. hCA provides

information in this booklet and displays a

DataProtectionNoticeinmanyareasof

ourhospitalsanddiagnosticcentres.Your

signatureontheAdmission/RegistrationForm

confirmsyouhavereadandunderstoodthis

material and that you consent to information,

including medical details, about you being

processed for the purposes of:

•Yourtreatmentasaprivatepatient.

This includes providing information

aboutyourcaretoyourGPattheendof

yourtreatment,unlessyouspecifically

indicate you do not wish this to happen.

•Thesettlementofexpensesrelatedto

your treatment e.g. the information

requiredbyyourinsurancecompanyin

order to settle your account with us.

•ClinicalauditbyHCAtoensure

we maintain our high standards of

patient care.

•Clinicalauditwithinnational

programmes which monitor health

and healthcare provision across the

UnitedKingdom.

Wherever possible, we anonymise

your data.

Your rights

The Act means that you have a right to

access information held about you either

on computer or in manual records. To

obtain a copy of the personal data held

under the terms of the Act, you will need

toapplyinwritingtothehospitalData

Controller. Please be aware that a fee

willbechargedforthisservice.TheData

Controller for each hospital is the Chief

ExecutiveOfficerandthenominated

DeputyistheChiefNursingOfficer.The

DataControllerforeachhospitalisthe

ChiefExecutiveOfficerandthenominated

DeputyistheChiefNursingOfficer.

Consent

Yourconsentisrequiredtoprocessyour

data, or that of a child for whom you have

parental responsibility. If you are too ill

to give your consent, information may

need to be shared without your consent in

order to treat you. hCA will make every

effort to obtain consent from a next of kin

or whoever may act in your best interests,

taking into account your previously

expressed wishes.

Confidentiality

Theconfidentialityofpatientinformation

is of paramount concern to hCA. hCA

fully complies with data protection

legislationandmedicalconfidentiality

guidelines. We will share information

about the progress of your treatment

with your nominated contact unless

specificallyinstructedotherwise.We

share information on a need to know basis

and strict guidelines are in place to ensure

the information remains secure.

Data Protection Act 1998

We are committed to meeting the provision

oftheDataProtectionAct1998.Everyone

working in hCA hospitals has a legal duty

tokeepinformationaboutyouconfidential.

In summary, this means that:

•Wewillaskforinformationabout

you so that you can receive proper care

and treatment.

•Wekeepthisinformationsecurelywith

details of your care because it may be

needed when we see you again.

•Wewillprovidestandarddischarge

informationtoyourGPtosupport

your care at a later date unless you

specificallyaskusnotto.Pleaseensure

anysuchrequestisinwriting.

YOURGUIDETOREGISTRATIONhCA hospital informationPayment and insurance

27

•HCAsupportsauditprojectsincluding

national disease databases intended to

evaluate the health of the nation and the

qualityofrelatedcare.

•HCAsupportsethicallyapproved

research projects which measure the

long-term effectiveness of treatment.

Therewillbeaspecificconsentformfor

contribution to any research projects.

•Youmaybereceivingcarefromother

people as well as employees of hCA

hospitals. so that we can all work

togetherforyourbenefit,wemayneed

to share some information about you

with those people. such people or

organisations may wish to send your

informationtocompanies/individuals

outside the european economic Area to

supportsubsequentcare.

•Wemayalsoshareinformationwith

third parties who are responsible for

your treatment expenses, for example

your insurance company.

•Wheneverwecan,weshallremove

details that identify you

•Wewillprovidetheminimum

information needed to achieve the

stated goal.

•Wewillusesomeofthisinformationfor

other reasons, e.g.

- to plan for the future,

- to see that the hospital runs legally

and effectively and can account for

its actions,

- to make sure we can pay the staff who

look after you and for the facilities

needed for your care.

•Sometimesthelawrequiresustopass

on information, for example to notify

a birth.

•Thesharingofsometypesofvery

sensitive personal information is strictly

controlled by law.

•Youhavearightofaccesstoyourhealth

records under the Access to health

RecordsActaswellasDPA98.

•Formoreinformation,youmayliketo

consulttheInformationCommissioner’s

website: www.ico.org.uk

Access to Non-Medical Information

Access to non-medical information

may be granted to others by hCA or

yourinsurer(ifapplicable)onastrictly

confidentialbasisinthecourseofandfor

thepurposeofefficientadministration,for

exampleaudit,financialmanagementand

credit control and managing or improving

our services. This access may be given to

any person or organisation involved in

billing, processing, payment or collection

of accounts or the provision of credit

referencing. In some instances we are

obliged by law to disclose information

for example where it will assist in

investigationsintofraud,ornotification

of births and deaths.

Sensitive Information

some pieces of information, for example

religious beliefs and mental health, are

termed“sensitivedata”undertheData

ProtectionAct1998.Ingeneralwedo

not record “sensitive data” unless it is

directly relevant to your condition and

its treatment. In such cases, we will ask

your permission to hold this information.

If we have to share this information with

non-hCA health professionals to enable

your care, we will ask your permission

before disclosing this information to any

other individual.

CCTV, Video and Telephone Call

Recordings

HCAusesCCTVatsomesitesforsecurity

purposes only and areas monitored by

CCTVaresignposted.Ifphotographsare

taken during your admission, operation or

treatment, a separate consent form will be

giventoyouforyoursignature.Yourcall

to service departments within our facilities

may be recorded for training purposes.

Retention, Storage and Destruction

of Information

Information about you is stored in a

confidentialmannerwhetheritisin

manual or computerised form and it will

bekeptforthespecificretentionperiods

outlined by the relevant professional

bodies.Destructionofdata,eithermanual

or digital is undertaken using documented

procedures with an audit trail of activity

and destruction.

Identifying You as an Individual

It is of vital importance that all patients

areproperlyidentifiedasindividuals.This

allows us to collate your various visits and

treatment in the same discrete medical

record. We have many patients with

similar names.

In order to be absolutely sure that you have

beencorrectlyidentifiedweaskforatleast

three pieces of information about you.

suitable items include:

•Fullname

•Dateofbirth

•NHSnumber

•NationalInsurancenumber

•Passportnumber

28

•Permanent(home,nota

temporary) Address

•Phonenumbers

Please note that if you choose to use a

pseudonym or fail to supply accurate

identifying information, when visiting our

hospitals, HCA cannot be responsible

for ensuring the continuity of your

health record across visits to HCA sites.

Consequences include the need for

additional tests to ensure your treatment

is correct. Consequences include the

need for additional tests to ensure your

treatment is correct.

Names and Addresses

hCA does not give the names

and addresses of patients to other

organisations except under the

circumstances described in this booklet.

hCA itself will not contact you after your

visit for purposes other than:

•followupofcare,

•collectingyourviewsaboutyourstay

with us

•settlementofyouraccountunlessyou

have signed an additional consent.

The use of information by your insurer

or sponsor

Information provided to your insurer in

order to settle your account will become

partofthedataheldbythem(and

other companies in the same group) in

accordance with the provisions of the

DataProtectionAct1998.Yourinsurer

may arrange for processing of your data

outside the european economic Area.

If you have any concerns about this or

about any third party your insurer may

share your data with, please contact your

insurer. If an insurer or other organisation

has indicated that they will meet your

expenses, they may choose to use non-

medical information to send you details

of products or services. If you do not wish

to receive such information, please write

directly to the insurer or other organisation.

Disclosure to your family and friends

We will normally share information

about the progress of your treatment

with the person you name as your

nominatedcontactunlessspecifically

instructed otherwise. Please make sure

anyspecificwishesyouhaveinrelation

to disclosure are documented during

admission. We make best efforts to

ensure that information provided over the

telephone is restricted to those you list on

your admission as nominated contacts.

sometimes this means refusing to disclose

information about you to someone

who feels they should know about your

treatment and progress. Please make your

family and friends aware of this.

Disclosure and settlement of

your account

Medical information will be kept

confidential.Itwillbedisclosedonlyto

those involved in your treatment or care,

to their agents and if applicable, to any

person or organisation or their agents

who may be responsible for meeting your

treatment expenses.

such people or organisations may wish

to send details of your expenses to

companies outside the european

EconomicArea(EEA)forprocessing.

Ifyouhaveanyqueriesaboutthis,please

contact your insurer or sponsor. We will

also need to share your demographic

and account information with a third

party who has taken responsibility for

payment of your bill. In the event that

a bill is unpaid, then we may need to

share data with other professionals such

as solicitors, collection agents, or credit

referencing agencies.

If you reside outside of the EU

If your permanent address is outside

theEU,oryourtreatmentiscontinuing

outsidetheEU,wemaysenddetails

of your treatment to individuals based

outsidetheEUspecificallytopromote

your ongoing care. This would normally

be the doctor who referred you to us for

treatment. If you wish, we can give you

the documents so that you have physical

control over this information.

Emailing HCA, Information for Patients

and Carers

At hCA we are aware you may wish to

communicate with us by email. While

therearebenefitstherearealsorisks

which mean there may be limitations on

using email. Please read the following

before using email.

Why use emails?

•Theycanbequickandconvenient,and

less intrusive than a phone call.

•Youcankeeparecordoftheemail

(unlikeaphonecall).

•Thereisbettersecuritytrackingand

reliability compared to telephone calls

and traditional mail.

YOURGUIDETOREGISTRATIONhCA hospital informationPayment and insurance

29

What are the disadvantages?

Information stored on our computer

systems is protected by a range of security

methods. Information sent outside our

system by email is much less secure.

•Ifyoushareyourcomputerothersmay

read it.

•Itmaybepossibletointerceptyouremail

when it is being sent over the internet.

•Ifastaffmemberisawayitmaybe

several weeks before you receive a reply

to your email.

When to use email?

•Youcanuseittocontactstafftomakea

queryoraskaboutanappointment.

•Ifyouhaveanurgentquestionorfeel

unwell after going home after treatment,

please do noT email.

What safeguards are in place?

•Sendanemailtothedepartmentyou

would like a reply from. replying to

your email reduces the chance of our

sending your information to the wrong

email address.

•Donotgivemorepersonalinformation

thanweneedtoprocessyourrequestin

case it is intercepted.

•Donotaskustosendyoumedical

details that you would not want seen

by other people.

•Wemayaskyoutosignaconsentform

agreeing to receive information by email

iftheinformationrequestedincludes

confidentialhealthinformation.

Confidentiality for other patients

and visitors

We ask that you consider the privacy of

other patients and visitors at our sites.

hCA hospitals regularly treat people with

ahighmediaprofileandtheirfamilies.

They almost always want that treatment

to be a private matter, and we ask you to

support their wishes by not commenting

on fellow patients to family or friends.

Valuables

The hospital does not accept responsibility

for the loss of any cash or valuables

belonging to patients or visitors. Patients

are advised not to bring valuables into

hospital. Where this is unavoidable,

patients should ensure that the valuables

are fully insured. The hospital will accept

no liability whatsoever for any loss or

damage to valuables, cash or personal

effects which the patient or any other

persons bring into the hospital, whether as

a result of negligence or otherwise.

Code of conduct

hCA is committed to providing high

quality,cost-effectivehealthcareandits

employees act with absolute integrity.

To further endorse this behaviour, hCA

has produced a Code of Conduct which

provides guidance to all employees and

helps them to carry out their work within

appropriate legal and ethical standards.

To review the Code of Conduct, visit the

hCA website at www.hcahospitals.co.uk

30

london Bridge hospital

27TooleyStreet

London,SE12PR

CopyrightLondonBridgeHospital2015