Visiting The Hospital

OUR SUPPORT

The Brompton Fountain supports the treatment and care of children and young people (from birth to 25 years) who attend the Royal Brompton and/or Harefield hospitals. Our charity works closely with the hospital teams and provides a wide range of vital resources and services as well as funding medical equipment and improvements to the hospital facilities.

General Information

The thought of visiting or staying in hospital can be daunting, even if you have been in hospital before. Download our Procedure Support Documents if you want to know more about a procedure:

Having an X-ray

Having an Ultrasound

Having a PICC Line Dressing Change

Outpatient Visits

Attending an Outpatient Appointment Having an outpatient appointment means you are receiving care without staying overnight. A visit to a healthcare setting as an outpatient may include undergoing tests, having a medication or treatment and/or meeting with a health professional.

Appointments are your opportunity to discuss your questions and any concerns with a health professional. They can be in person, virtual or via a telephone call.

Make the most of your appointment with the following tips:

Make sure you have a strong internet connection if having a video appointment.
If you think it will help, try calling a health professional you know well to practice talking on the phone, before you have your telephone or video appointment.
Be ready to accept the call or video at your appointment time.
Tell your Team if you have a preference for an in person, virtual or telephone appointment. Your Team will do their best to accommodate your preference, but due to everyone’s individual needs, they may not be able to offer you each option.
Remember a telephone or video call needs a quiet environment. If the health professional can’t hear you or your parent/carer, they may need to end the appointment or re-book.
You can have a parent, carer or another supportive adult with you at your appointment. Many young people find having someone to listen in and/or participate helpful.
Make a list of topics you want to discuss.
Review your travel arrangements prior to an in person appointment, so you know where you are going and how much time you need to travel.
Let your Team know if you cannot attend your appointment beforehand, as missing it could mean you are discharged.
If you do not want to discuss a particular topic, you can let your Team know.
Remember you can discuss what is going well, alongside any concerns.
If a health professional requests that you have a test or procedure, find out more information by accessing our procedural support documents, which can be used prior or during procedures.

Sometimes outpatient appointments run late and although the professional you are due to see will be doing everything they can to keep to your appointment slot, sometimes unavoidable delays arise.

Inpatient Stays

Staying in hospital There are many reasons why you may need to stay in hospital:

Having a treatment which can only be given in a hospital

Starting a new treatment and which means you need observation
Having medical tests completed
Having a procedure such as an operation
Being too unwell to stay at home

In the days before your hospital admission take the time to:

Plan how you are going to get to the hospital and how long it will take.
Gather together important information such as an ‘about me’ booklet, hospital passport and/or relevant medical documents.
Check that you have up to date emergency contact numbers that can be passed on to the nurse on arrival.
Create a list of questions, so you can make sure you don’t forget to ask anything.

Suggested packing list Please note that the Trust and Charity cannot be responsible for any items brought in

Current medication in dispensing box (with pharmacy label)
Personal medical equipment
Comfy day clothes (if having surgery, buttons up the front may be easier to put on)
Comfy night wear (if having surgery, buttons up the front may be easier to put on)
Footwear (such as slippers, flipflops, sliders, trainers)
Headphones
Books or magazines
Any work from school/university/job
Dressing gown or comfy jumper
Toiletries (including toothbrush, toothpaste, soap, shampoo)
Charging cables
Snacks
We advise that you do not bring valuables or large amounts of money

What happens when you arrive? When you arrive you will be shown to your bedspace and will get to the meet the nurse looking after you. Your nurse will be able to let you know where the bathroom is and tell you whether you are able to move around the ward independently. Some young people may have a separate room called a cubical, while others may share a larger room (bay) with curtains around their bed.

How can a hospital stay be made more comfortable? The health professionals who care for you understand that it can take a bit of time to get used to being in hospital. Changes such as having a different routine, less privacy and possibly missing out on day to day life, like social events, are often reported by young people as being some of the biggest challenges whilst being an inpatient.

Tips Here are some tips about how to improve your inpatient hospital stay:

Wear your own clothes when you are not undergoing tests and procedures
Bring your own bedding and/or pillow
Use the curtains around your bedspace for privacy
Ask friends and family to bring you in home cooked food as a treat
Keep in touch with your friends via text, phone or video call
See if you can get any school or university work sent to you, so that you can catch up quickly when you return.
Talk to your nurse if you have any concerns or questions.

Children's Services

This section is for children and young people up 16/18 years

The Royal Brompton Hospital has two inpatient wards, Rose Ward and Paediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU). There are no wards for children and young people under the age of 16/18 at Harefield Hospital.

Rose Ward has 35 beds for children and young people up to the age of 16/18 years who need respiratory (breathing) and/or cardiac (heart) treatment or surgery. The Bays are called Mountain, Sunrise, Ocean and Meadow and cubicle areas are called Beach and Forest. There is a Daycase and Sleep Study Unit on the ward too.

The Paediatric Intensive Care Unit looks after children and young people who need one to one nursing care and/or the use of medical equipment to help them breathe, for example. Children and young people may also stay on the Paediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) if they have had emergency or planned heart or lung surgery.

The Children’s Outpatient Department at the Royal Brompton is specially designed for children, young people and their families to attend appointments with their medical teams and undergo any routine tests or procedures.

Play Team and Playroom A member of the Play Team will aim to visit all children and young people on Rose Ward and Peadiatric Intensive Care every day. There is a playroom on Rose Ward that can be used by both Rose Ward and Paediatric Intensive Care patients, following a discussion with a member of the Play Team and the nurse overseeing that individual’s care. If it is safer for you to stay at your bedspace, the Play Team can bring activities to you and organise individual sessions there. The Play Team also offers preparation, support, distraction and post procedural input to children and young people who are undergoing medical interventions. Information and reassurance is offered using a range of resources, which are tailored to meet the individual’s needs.

School We have an onsite school at the Royal Brompton site that offers education to those in primary and secondary school, as well as those in sixth form. Sessions run from 10am to 12pm and 1.30pm to 3.30pm. The teachers will work closely with the school you attend (when you are not in hospital), so you can complete similar tasks and projects as your friends. The school is also registered as an examination centre, if you need to take an exam while you are an inpatient.

Approximate meal times

Breakfast is served between 8.30-9.30am

Lunch is served between 12.15-1.30pm

Dinner is served between 5.00-6.00pm

Adult Services

This section is for young people receiving care in adult services At the Royal Brompton Hospital there are the following wards:

Adult intensive care (AICU) unit is located on Level 3, Sydney wing. This unit has 18 beds and takes patients following cardiac and major thoracic surgery. This is a mixed unit and you may share a bay with other females and males or you may have a side room. The Adult Intensive Care Unit looks after adults who need one to one nursing care and/or the use of medical equipment to help them breathe, for example.

Foulis ward is located in Fulham wing, on the Fulham Road. Foulis ward cares for patients with a wide variety of lung conditions including those with cystic fibrosis. This ward is made up with 29 single rooms which all have a fridge, television and bathroom attached.

Victoria ward which can be found on level 2 Fulham Wing, on the Fulham Road treats and cares for patients with acute and chronic respiratory conditions. Within the ward there are 25 beds including three sleep study rooms and five high dependency beds. The bays are split into either female or male, but the high dependency area is mixed.

The Elizabeth Intensive Care & High Dependency Unit (EICU/HDU) found on level 5 of the Sidney Wing, cares for adults who have a serious illness and/or have had a major surgical or medical procedure. There are six intensive care beds and 12 high dependency beds and you may be cared for alongside other females or males.

Paul Wood Ward, on level 5, Sidney Wing, cares for patients requiring investigations and treatment for a wide range of cardiac related health conditions. There are 21 beds in bays which are split either male or female. There is also a Daycase unit within the ward.

Princess Alexandra ward, on level 5, Sidney Wing is a 35 bedded ward caring for patients who have had cardiac and thoracic (lung) surgery. Patients who have needed intensive or high dependency care may come to this ward once the level of care they need reduces.

York ward, on level 5, Sidney Wing cares for patients who need investigations, procedures and treatment for cardiac problems. There are 34 beds on this ward and bays are either female or male.

At Harefield Hospital there are the following wards:

Acorn and Oak Wards provide acute cardiac care to those undergoing investigations and treatment. There are 50 beds (18 Acorn and 32 Oak), some side rooms and the rest bays. Both wards are on the ground floor.

Cedar and Maple Wards provide care for patients requiring heart or lung surgery. The adult surgical unit (ASU) has 25 beds on Cedar Ward (second floor) and 15 in Maple Ward (ground floor). Bays are either female or male and there are a few side rooms.

Cherry Tree Day Unit is a 16 bed unit caring for patients who are expected to go home the same day following their treatment or procedure. Cherry Tree Unit is situated on the first floor.

The High Dependency Unit (HDU) on the ground floor, is a 10 bed unit for those who need closer observation and monitoring following either heart or lung surgery.

The Intensive Care Unit (ICU) on the ground floor is a 31 bedded unit which cares for very unwell cardiac or respiratory patients. The Intensive Care Unit looks after adults who need one to one nursing care and/or the use of medical equipment to help them breathe, for example.

Rowan and Fir Tree Wards care for patients undergoing transplant assessments and those post transplant. Rowan ward on the ground floor has 17 beds and Fir Tree on the first floor has 16 beds.

Carers We advise that you contact the ward directly if you have any questions in regards to having a carer support your stay in hospital.

Weekends During the weekends and over bank holidays you may notice the ward or unit become quieter; this is because there is often a reduction in the amount of medical professionals working. There will still be doctors and therapists for example on call, but there may not be a ward round or any planned sessions with your physiotherapy or occupational therapy teams. Talk to your assigned nurse if you have any questions about this.

Approximate meal times at both the Royal Brompton and Harefield hospitals

Breakfast is served between 7.45-8.00am

Lunch is served between 12.30-1.00pm

Dinner is served between 6.00- 6.30pm

Keeping Busy at the Hospital

Passing the time Time can feel like it is going slowly when you are in hospital. Here are some tips to keep busy when you cannot safely leave your bed space:

Talk to friends and family via video call, telephone or text
Watch a movie
Listen to music
Read a book or magazine
Play a card game or electronic game
Do some colouring, drawing, word searches or crosswords
Personalise your bed space by adding art work, posters, bunting and photos

Here are some tips to keep you busy when you cannot safely leave the hospital, but can leave the ward (please always check with your medical team before leaving the ward):

Visit the courtyard at the Royal Brompton site on level two and spend some time outside.
Visit the café at the Royal Brompton site open between 8am-5pm (Monday to Friday) and 1pm-3.30pm (Saturday and Sunday)
Drop into the small WHSmiths shop on level 2 at the Royal Brompton site.
Come and say ‘hi’ to The Brompton Fountain Team on level 2 at the Royal Brompton site.

Check out the on site restaurants/snack bars Opening times may differ to stated times due to unforeseen circumstances

At the Royal Brompton Sydney wing, basement

Breakfast: 7am-10.30am (Monday to Fridays)
Breakfast: 7am-10am (Saturdays and Sunday)
Lunch: 12pm-2pm
Afternoon: 2pm-5.30pm
Dinner: 6pm- 8pm

At the Fulham wing, Outpatients Department, Dovehouse Street entrance

Snack bar is open 9am-4.30pm (Monday to Friday)

At Harefield Hospital, the Hungry Hare

Snack bar open daily from 7:30am-7:30pm
Breakfast: 7:30am-10:30am
Lunch: 12pm-3pm
Dinner: 5:30pm-7:30pm

Friends of Harefield Hospital Pavillion

Monday-Friday: 10am-5:30pm
Saturday: 1pm-4pm (depending on staff availability)
Sunday: 1:30pm-4pm

Here are some ideas to keep you busy when it is safe to leave the hospital grounds Please always check with your medical team before leaving the hospital.

Local shops/ attractions/ outside spaces close to the Royal Brompton:

Marks and Spencer (distance 0.3 miles, walk in 7 minutes, drive in 3 minutes)
Natural History Museum (distance 0.7 miles, walk in 15 minutes, drive in 7 minutes, get the 345 or 49 bus and arrive in 12 minutes). There is no charge to enter the museum.

Science Museum (distance 0.7 miles, walk in 17 minutes, drive in 7 minutes, get the 345 or 49 bus and arrive in 15 minutes). There is no charge to enter the museum.

Victoria and Albert Museum (distance 0.6 miles, walk in 14 minutes, drive in 7 minutes, get the 14 or 414 or 49 bus and arrive in 12 minutes). There is no charge to enter the museum.

Hyde Park (distance 1.1 miles, walk in 25 minutes, drive in 11 minutes, get the 14 or 414 bus and arrive in 12 minutes, get the Piccadilly line and arrive in 23 minutes). There is no charge to enter the park.

Kensington Gardens (distance 1.3 miles, walk in 30 minutes, drive in 7 minutes, get the 49 bus and arrive in 12 minutes, get the Circle line and arrive in 30 minutes). There is no charge to enter the gardens.

Local shops/ attractions/ outside spaces close to Harefield Hospital:

Co-op (distance 0.4 miles, walk in 8 minutes, drive in 2 minutes, get the U9 bus and arrive in 4 minutes)
Harefield Village Green (distance 0.3 miles, drive in 2 minutes)

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