Welcome to The Harbour

This information is intended to help you feel comfortable and relaxed about visiting your relative/friend/partner whilst they are a patient at The Harbour.

We realise that this is a difficult time for you and your relative/friend/partner, but we would like to assure you that an experienced team of professionals is caring for them during their stay at The Harbour.

A Carer Link is identified on each ward area. Please contact the ward if you wish to speak these or any of the care team staff. 

Consent from your relative/friend/partner will need to be obtained before any information can be passed to you, although we welcome any information you can provide us that will assist with care.

We have various procedures in place to ensure that our hospital is safe and secure for all our patients, visitors and staff. We hope that as you become used to visiting, these will be less daunting.

Before you visit

Visiting times wards are:
Everyday 1pm - 7.45pm*

Alternative times maybe arranged on request with the Nurse in Charge or Ward Manager. Please follow this link for contact details
*Visiting times on the Byron and Keats PICU are by arrangement with these wards.

A member of the nursing team will be available to support you throughout the visit.

Occasionally circumstances arise which means the visit is postponed or cancelled at short notice, If you are visiting the PICU, it maybe useful to phone first to ensure the visit can still go ahead.

We do not allow under 18's to enter the wards, but we have 2 Family visiting rooms available, with toys & games which younger visitors are welcome to use. These visits must be arranged in advance and booked with the ward to ensure the room is available.

When you arrive

Parking is free. At reception, please inform the staff whom you are visiting. They will provide you with a visitors badge after asking you a couple of details. This is a necessary requirement for your safety in the event of fire evacuation. You will be asked to wear this badge at all times. They will then direct you to the ward you are visiting.

To get to the ward, you will pass through a door that can only be unlocked by a staff member.

During your visit

Your visit will take place on the ward, in the designated visiting area. This will be set-aside for you. In the interest of preserving other patients' privacy and confidentiality, we ask that you do not wander about in the ward.

Please note that The Harbour and the surrounding hospital site is a NON- SMOKING facility for ALL visitors, patients and staff.

Additionally, it may be possible for you to go for a walk outside or attend the Hospital café with your relative/friend/partner. This may have to be agreed in advance by the care team in some circumstances.

When you leave The Harbour, please hand your visitors badge back into main reception. 

Restricted items

In the interest of promoting a safe and secure therapeutic environment for all, we find it necessary to limit or deny access to certain types of items, which our experience tells us could be potentially harmful or risky to people, or damaging to property.

The primary nurse or the nurse in charge will be very happy to explain the details to you, if you wish, but here are some general guidelines to help you;

We don't allow free access to:

- Matches or cigarette lighters

- Sharp implements such as knives, tools or other utensils, drawing pins etc

- Alcohol/Drugs or medication of any kind

- Glass, tins or pots, plastic bags

- Recording instruments; cameras, camcorders, tape-recorders, blank tapes

- Lap-top/palm-top computers/personal organisers

If you are found in possession of any of the listed items, you will be asked to take them off the ward.  It is best to leave these sort of items at home or in your car, if appropriate.

A nurse, on the ward, may ask beforehand if you have any items you wish to give your relative, as these may need to be searched in the first instance. Please understand that we do not wish to cause any offence by this request.

If you are in any doubt about gifts or items that you would like to bring in, please don't hesitate to seek advice from a member of staff. We appreciate your co-operation with this request, thank you for your assistance.

Questions, Compliments or Complaints?

Please fiollow this link to contact our Complaints Department if you have any questions about the information provided, or if you would like to talk to someone about any aspect of making a complaint

We value feedback, both positive and negative, as it enables us to evaluate and develop the services we provide.
 
If you wish to complain about or compliment the service or care and treatment, please approach a member of staff in the first instance. If it is a concern or complaint they may be able to resolve this immediately, you can also raise any concern with the ward sister/charge nurse or matron. Alternatively there are leaflets on the ward to make a compliment or complain, the address to send these is:

Customer Care
Lancashire and South Cumbria NHS Foundation Trust
PO Box 592, Sceptre Way
Bamber Bridge
Preston, PR5 6ZX

Tel: 01772 695315

Freephone: 0808 144 1010

An advocate can also assist you with making a compliment, complaint, suggestion or concern.

If you would like to get involved further with service user and carer groups, please contact:

Head of Patient and Public Involvement,
5 Fulwood Park,
Caxton Road,
Fulwood,
Preston,
PR2 9NZ.

Tel:    01772 695394