Meals

A menu card will be given to you before each meal from which you can make your choice. Drinks are provided with all meals, and at intervals during the day and evening. If you are on a special diet please advise your Named Nurse who will contact the dietetic or catering department.

We always have vegetarian dishes and can provide kosher meals.

Meals are served at the following times:

Breakfast:  7.30am - 8.30am
Lunch:  11.45am - 12.45pm
Supper:  5.20pm - 6.20pm

If your visitors need to stay overnight, meals can be purchased from Time Out, the staff restaurant, on the first floor. Light refreshments may be purchased by relatives from the Food Stop cafeteria when it is open.

Snack Bar

The Food Stop cafeteria is in the main entrance area where your visitors may buy drinks and light snacks. There is also a drinks vending machine for use in the evenings and at night.

Meeting individual needs

If you have any problems in accessing our services please let us know and we will do our best to resolve the problem.

Wheelchair access toilets are sited in the Our Patient Department, Main Reception, near the General Office and at the entrance of Wards 4,5 and 6 corridor on the first floor.

Induction loops compatible with NHS Hearing Aids have been installed in many reception areas and we also have portable induction loops.

Information can be recorded onto audio tapes and we have a number of RNIB approved cassettes players for patients to use.

If you have language difficulties we can arrange for an interpreter (including signage) to assist you.

Hospital chaplaincy

The Chaplaincy Department recognises that a stay in hospital can be a worrying experience, both emotionally and spiritually. The Chaplaincy staff aim to provide a service to all, regardless of beliefs or faith. A contact list of ministers of the world's main religions is maintained by the department. The Hospital Chaplains can be contacted 24 hours a day, via the ward staff, and are happy to have an informal chat or to be a listening ear.

The Chapel of the Good Samaritan is situated just off the front corridor, on the ground floor, and is always open for quiet reflection and prayer. Details of services held in the chapel are provided in a bedside Welcome Pack.

We also have a group of trained and supervised volunteers who visit the wards on a regular basis. If patients cannot easily get to the chapel services, then arrangements for them to receive bedside communion can easily be made.

More information...|

Radio and television

You will be able to listen to radio stations and watch TV and films on the beside entertainment system over your bed. Please ask the nursing staff to explain how these should be used. RWSfm (on 103.3fm or online) local radio station for Bury St Edmunds and beyond is also free to play and if you would like a request you can call the station 01284 713403 and leave a message.

Patients’ Library

The hospital has its own patients’ library service, and a trolley brings books, talking books and magazines to the wards at least once a week. Please make sure you return any books you borrow to the trolley or to the nursing staff before you leave. If you mistakenly take them home please return them to the hospital as soon as possible.

Shopping

WHSmith and the Friends of West Suffolk Hospital shops| are situated in the main concourse at the front of the hospital sell a variety of goods including newspapers, magazines, cards, light refreshments, cold drinks, toiletries, etc. Both shops provide trolley services to the wards.

A cash machine is sited in main reception. Please be aware that there is a charge for each withdrawal.

Hairdressing

We provide a hairdressing service at low cost on each ward. If you would like an appointment, please ask your Nurse to contact extension 3599 to arrange this for you.

Telephones

There is a personal bedside telephone at most beds in the hospital. Patients can make outgoing calls at similar rates to payphones by purchasing a pay card for the phone at one of the many Premier Bedside vending machines located around the hospital. Patients can also receive incoming calls to their bedside by simply giving the bedside phone number ( 07003 400 006 ) and their 5 digit phone extension number (located on the screen) to their visitors.

Incoming Calls (calling party pays) are charged at 49p per minute peak and 39p per minute off peak.

Outgoing calls are charged at similar rates to a payphone – from just 10p per minute, although calls to mobiles and other networks may vary.

There are also some public payphones in the Main entrance on the ground floor. All phones have induction loop couplers compatible with NHS hearing aids

Personal laundry

Unfortunately, we are unable to provide a personal laundry service for our patients. Please ask your visitors to arrange to wash your clothes and return those you need while you are in hospital.

Overnight accommodation

We have some rooms available for relatives of seriously ill patients to stay overnight if necessary. Please ask the Nurse in Charge for more details.

Voluntary services

The hospital receives help from individual people in the local community and voluntary organisations to provide additional services in a variety of roles to enhance the quality of care our patients receive. Volunteers assist areas throughout the hospital, eg on the Wards, the Information Desk in main reception, in Outpatient Clinics, Accident & Emergency and many more opportunities are available.

The Friends of West Suffolk Hospital have a shop in reception and provides a trolley service to our wards and Red Cross volunteers offer a free hand care service to our patients etc.

We are very grateful for all the support given to our hospital and if you would like more information about volunteering at the West Suffolk Hospital please see Volunteering Opportunities|| or contact the Voluntary Services Manager on (01284) 713206.