General Information for Inpatients

Where possible you will be allocated a private room, however we may not be able to guarantee you one during periods of high occupancy. We will endeavour to do our best to move you into a private room when available.

The call bell

Your room’s call bell system allows you to contact nursing staff 24 hours a day. A button is located on the white handset by your bed, which your nurse will place within your reach. Once the button is pressed, it will remain on until cancelled by your attending nurse. Additional buttons are located in the bathroom.

We encourage you to call staff should you require assistance.

Bed adjustment

Beds are adjustable and can be repositioned using the up/down arrows located on the black handset. In some cases, the bed’s position is set by the nursing staff to facilitate your recovery. If you feel uncomfortable, please press the call bell and staff will assist you.

Your visitors are welcome to Westmead Private Hospital during visiting hours. Please respect the rest period scheduled to ensure the optimal recuperation for you and other patients.

General Ward:

Morning: 10.00am – 12 noon
Rest Period: 12 noon – 3.00pm
Afternoon / Evening: 3.00pm – 8.00pm

• 2 visitors permitted per session (must be double vaccinated and provide proof on entry)

During your stay nurses will be allocated to care for you 24 hours a day. These nurses will comprise a team of highly qualified Registered Nurses, Enrolled Nurses & Assistants in Nursing. With our close collaboration with a number of Universities, you may also see closely supervised students within the hospital. We understand the importance of continuity of care and try to allocate the same nurse each day, however at times this may not be possible.

As a patient you will notice that the staff will include you and your family / carers in your treatment by seeking information from you and giving information to you to ensure that we are providing the right treatment to the right patient and regularly monitoring your care.

Patient Centred Care (PCC) is an important part of your care. It is a broad term used to describe healthcare that is respectful of and responsive to the preferences, needs and values of you, as patients and consumers. PCC is an important measure of healthcare safety and quality.

PCC is more than customer service, in that it involves actively consulting, collaborating and partnering with patients, carers and families to not only improve your perceptions and experience of healthcare, but to also support your healthcare rights and responsibilities, improve your health literacy and the quality and safety of the wider system of healthcare.

We may at times seek input from patients regarding patient information publications, new processes or equipment to ensure that they are either easy to understand and informative, or what patients are needing in hospital.

The doctor who admits you is responsible for your medical care whilst you are a patient in Westmead Private Hospital. Each doctor will have a different time of the day that they will visit the hospital.

The hospital provides 24-hour Resident Medical Officer coverage in liaison with your Specialist to assist with your care in hospital.

We have an Early Warning System in place to flag changes in your condition. If you or your visitors are concerned about your condition, we ask that you inform your nurse immediately. They will assess you and inform the senior nurse or medical officer of your condition as necessary.

We understand how important your meals are to you during your stay. We strive to ensure the consistent delivery of high quality food and food services to patients every day.

Our Diet Aide will visit you each day and take your meal order with our computerised meal ordering system. Our meals have been created to meet the specific needs of patients in a healthcare environment, and are therefore lower in fat and salt content.

We offer menu options which are suitable for patients on a diabetic, low fat, low salt or restricted diet as ordered by the dietician or your doctor. If you have special dietary needs please advise our Diet Aides. Halal meals are also available on request.

Due to your medical condition you may be on a special diet. In some cases your meal option may be changed as a result of changes in your health requirements. A suitable alternative will be chosen. Should you require further information regarding the type of diet you are on please discuss with the nurse caring for you or one of our experienced Diet Aides on Ext 160. An information leaflet is also available for further clarification.

Visitors may dine with you at meal time by ordering a meal from the “Mons on Darcy” Café located in the Atrium. There is a cost for visitor meals. Orders for lunch must be made before 10.00am, and dinner before 3.00pm.

The discharge time is 9.00am. If cleared by your doctor, please arrange your transport home by 9:00am. Patients remaining after this time are welcome to use our Quiet Room located on East Ward.

In order to ensure a smooth discharge staff may begin to discuss discharge with you on admission.

We recognise that admission to hospital and surgery can be a daunting experience. It is a time when a lot of information is given verbally, so we are here for any questions or concerns you may have. This booklet assists you in providing information relating to our hospital’s facilities and services, and your admission and stay here.

Westmead Private Hospital continually seek feedback on the experience of our patients. We are committed to providing an outstanding level of care for all our patients. As part of this commitment, you may receive a survey asking about your visit via SMS or email. We ask that you take the time to complete the survey. We will use your feedback to make improvements