Alcohol

The consumption of alcohol by visitors on the hospital grounds is not permitted.

The consumption of alcohol by patients is only permitted at the discretion of their Doctor and Nurse Unit Manager.

Electrical Appliances

Due to the potential fire risk, you must ask ward staff before you bring in personal electrical equipment for use such as hair driers and portable radios.

Meals

Every morning you will be asked to select your meals for the next 24 hours. Your meals will be chosen for you if you are unavailable or unable to choose for yourself. If you are in theatre or having tests, your chosen meal may be altered automatically to fit in with your schedule.

Please tell your doctor or nurse if you have special dietary or religious requirements and you will be referred to a dietitian.

Due to food safety regulations, patients should not bring in food from outside that needs to be heated. Food to be served cold must be refrigerated.

Main Meal Times

Breakfast: 7.50am

Lunch: 11.50am

Dinner: 5.00pm

Telephones

There is a patient phone at most overnight bed locations. Calls from outside the hospital between the hours of 8:00am and 8:00pm can be directed to all patients by ringing 03 5857 0212.

The use of mobile phones is permitted in most areas of the health service so long as there is no operating medical equipment within 2 metres (due to possible interference).

Television

Televisions are available in most rooms.

Wi-Fi

Free Wi-Fi is available for patients and their visitors.  Instructions are included in the patient folder.  If you have any difficulty please talk to the Ward Clerk.

Valuables & Personal Items

Please do not bring jewellery, money or valuable personal items to hospital, except small amounts of change for newspapers or other small necessities. The hospital cannot accept responsibility for the loss or damage to your property.

Smoking

KDHS is 100% smoke free.

In the interests of patient, visitor and staff health, smoking is not permitted anywhere within the buildings or grounds.

Speak to your treating team about obtaining free nicotine replacement therapy during your visit, or support to help you quit.

Pharmacy

Please bring a list of all medicines you take and any recent changes that have been made. This includes all prescription medicines and those purchased in a pharmacy, supermarket or health food shop.

These medicines will be reviewed by your treatment team and then given to hospital staff for safe keeping during your hospital stay. All of your medicines are provided as part of your care while you are an inpatient.

Do not take any medicine from your own supply while in hospital, as this will interfere with your treatment. Please advise us of any unexpected or allergic type reactions you have had to any medicine in the past.

Family Spokesperson

When you are ill, family and friends naturally want regular updates on your progress. However, frequent enquiries to the ward can make it difficult for staff to spend time caring for patients. To avoid this, please nominate one person to be the main contact who can keep family and friends informed.

Pastoral Care

Chaplains are available on request to support patients, relatives and staff. KDHS chaplains represent all Christian denominations and world faiths. Please ask a member of the ward staff to arrange for a chaplain visit.