Meadow House inpatient ward has 15 single rooms and was completely refurbished in 2002/3. Each room has a flat screen TV with all SKY channels available free to the patients/visitors. The ward is centrally located on the site, with direct access to the garden via the conservatory. We strive to ensure that the ward is a welcoming, nurturing environment, but we are aware that many patients and their families may have anxieties regarding being admitted to ‘a hospice’ since there can be misconceptions about exactly what goes on in such an institution. For some people the belief is that once a patient is admitted to the hospice there is no going back. In fact, our length of stay is in line with the national average of just under a fortnight, and we discharge 60% of the patients we admit.
Why are patients admitted to the hospice?
Sometimes it becomes harder for patients to manage at home, either because things are deteriorating medically, or those involved in the day to day care become weary or stressed. We admit patients for 3 main reasons.
- Planned/Review of Care
- Symptom control / assessment
- Terminal care
Other things which you should know about inpatient care at Meadow House:
There are 15 inpatients rooms on site, each with its own washing facilities. Our beds are all modern electric beds with pressure relieving mattresses. Each room has its own fridge and television.
Not all, but most of the rooms, have their own lavatories.
Thanks to a very generous donation from the Mayor of Ealing’s Charity Fund in 2007, we have recently upgraded our television network such that each room has Sky TV with an integral player for DVDs or CDs. The Sky system has 999 channels, including some foreign language TV and digital radio channels. There is no charge for this service.
The conservatory is fully equipped to allow patients’ beds to be accommodated if patients are bedbound but would still like to spend some time out of their room.
We are currently planning an upgrade of our visitors’ room which is also linked into our television system and is equipped with a kettle, fridge, microwave and toaster with washing up facilities and a visitors’ lavatory. We do not have a visitors’ shower or bath.
Visitors
Patients are very welcome to have visitors and there are no enforced visiting hours. However, we suggest visits between 11am and 9pm and no more than 4 people at a time so that patients who may be feeling weak or unwell do not become overtired.
Please ensure that all visitors sign in and out at the Main Reception between 9am and 4.30pm or at the back entrance between 4.30pm and 9pm and at weekends. Children are welcome but must be supervised by an adult.
If guests need to visit out of hours, we request that this be agreed in advance with the nurse in charge.
We do have a number of ‘Z beds’ for visitors staying overnight. As we are a small unit with limited resources, there is a limit of 2 persons staying overnight per patient. If you are staying overnight we would ask you to consider other patients’ needs and the fact that in the case of an emergency, the staff will have primary responsibility to their patients.
A relatives’ room is available with tea and coffee and a microwave. A toilet is available there. If staying overnight, staff can direct you to the bathroom facilities.
You can discuss visiting hours/arrangements with the nurse in charge.
‘After Hours’ Access to Meadow House for Visitors
Meadow House main entrance is open Monday – Friday 8.30am – 4.30pm.
At other times, access is via the back entrance, which is on the opposite side of the building, reached by going through the car park between Ealing hospital and the hospice. A covered walkway leads to the back door of the hospice. Press the entry phone button marked ‘Meadow House’ and when answered state whom you are visiting. The door will open outwards automatically. Once inside the building, please sign in. On leaving, please sign out and press the green button to the left of the door and it will open automatically.
If the door is not answered immediately, it may be that the nurses are busy in the rooms. Please be patient.
Meals
The timetable for meals is as follows:
Breakfast – 8.00am
Morning coffee – 10.30am
Lunch – 12-12.30pm
Afternoon tea – 3.00pm
Supper – 5-5.30pm
Evening drink – 9.30pm
Patients choose from the menu on the same day and special diets are catered for on request, and there is a dietician available to give advice on diet, or offer supplementary drinks to improve nutritional intake. When people are unwell they often have a very small appetite, or do not fancy eating or drinking at all. This is very common and we encourage patients to eat only as much as they feel able, or to try ‘little and often’. Please do not hesitate to speak to a member of the nursing staff if you or your family has concerns about eating.
Visitors are welcome to bring in food of the patient’s choice. Each room has a refrigerator. There is a microwave oven, a refrigerator and kettle in the relatives’ room. We cannot reheat food due to the risk of food poisoning.
Alcohol
Patients on the unit can consume alcohol, and from time to time drinks will be offered prior to meals to help improve appetite.
Patients are welcome to bring in their favourite tipple but we encourage patients to keep within the Government recommendations for safe daily limits of alcohol consumption.
Personal Laundry
The on-site laundry facilities are for emergencies only. We would request that all routine laundry is done by carers’ or relatives at home. The Hospice does not normally supply clothing.
Telephones
There is a trolley telephone for outgoing calls. Incoming calls are received on a lightweight cordless phone, which patients can take into their rooms. Both these phones have the same number: 020 8574 6323.
Postal Service
Your mail should be addressed with your full name to:
In-Patient Unit
Meadow House
Uxbridge Road
Southall
Middlesex UB1 3HW
Library service
Meadow House has a small collection of books on a library trolley, which are available on request.
Newspapers
Patients can let a member of staff know if they would like a newspaper. Papers must be paid for daily.
Hospital Shop
A shop selling sweets, flowers, stationery and toiletries is situated in the main entrance of Ealing Hospital. There is also a restaurant in the hospital and snack bars run by the Friends of Ealing Hospital at the main entrance and in the Outpatients department.
Smoking
Smoking is not allowed in most parts of the Hospice. Smoking is permitted in the garden and in the quiet room (Ventilated). Following an assessment, some patients are allowed to smoke in their own rooms under supervision. Under these circumstances patients may be asked to hand cigarettes and lighters to nursing staff for safekeeping. Unless a family member or friend is present in the room when a patient wishes to smoke, supervision may need to be done by the nursing staff. Please note that this is at the nurses’ discretion since clinical duties, or personal reasons may mean that, at times, there is not a member of staff available to supervise smoking.
Planning your return home
For patients not undergoing terminal care, our aim from the beginning of an admission is usually to try to get the patient home or, if that is not possible, into a nursing home. This sometimes surprises patients and families, particularly if the patient has been sent to us from a hospital. The reason we do this is to ensure that there is sufficient time to liaise with community and other services. This can be a complex process and we try to make sure that transitions between different care environments happen as smoothly as possible.
The process of decision making works like this: each week, we have a meeting which is attended by the whole multi-professional team. Starting from the central point of what we believe the patient’s wishes to be, we take into account whether the clinical situation is stable or very unpredictable. We try to reach a professional group decision about what we are going to recommend about each patient’s ongoing care. All our decisions are communicated to the patient and family and there is always plenty of time for discussion and debate.
It is inevitable that, at times, differences of opinion may emerge. We then do as much as we can to find an acceptable and workable compromise, knowing that we cannot always predict exactly how situations may develop and shift. Every case is different and we therefore do our best to try to find a solution specifically tailored to each situation. In general terms, patients whose condition is very stable tend to be discharged, whilst those whose condition is changing rapidly do not.
Getting Home
Transport home can be provided if patient are unable to provide their own, or if their physical condition means that an ambulance is needed. However, we do require a minimum of 48 hours notice in order to arrange transport and so this needs to be communicated clearly in good time.
In most cases we provide a two-week supply of medication with instructions and, if necessary, equipment will be arranged and dressings supplied.
Discharge letters are sent to those concerned with the care at home such as the GP and District Nurse.
When at home
If any problems arise when you are at home, you may wish to contact your GP or District Nurse. They should be able to give you details about when they are available. Out of hours you may be directed to NHS Direct.
If you wish to contact us, please note that our Community Specialist Palliative Care Nurses are only available in office hours. Either phone your Community Specialist Palliative Care Nurse directly or contact Main Reception on the number given below.
You can get hold of us out of hours by phoning the In-Patient Unit number at the Hospice.
Useful telephone numbers
In-Patient unit – 020 8967 5597
Main reception Meadow House – 020 8967 5179
Patients’ phone number – 020 8574 6323
The Referrals Office is open Monday to Friday 08.30 – 16.00
Dedicated email for referrals: referralsmeadowhouse@nhs.net
Office phone number: 020 8967 5758 Office fax: 020 8967 5756
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