Into Hospital and Home Again: an online leaflet

What to Bring

Coming into hospital is not always planned. If you have a planned admission to hospital then you can use this as a guide to make sure you have everything before you leave home. If you are admitted as an emergency you may give this list to a relative for them to collect some essentials:

Documents:

• Your NHS medical card
  
  
• Any documentation you have relating to your health and social care
  
  
• The name and phone number of a close relative or friend

Clothes:

• Nightwear (2)
• Underwear
• Dressing gown
• Slippers
• Adjustable shoes/trainers for use on the ward
• Bedjacket or cardigan
• Day clothes

Toiletries:

• Flannel
• Soap
• Shampoo
• Toothbrush and paste
• Denture pot, if necessary
• Shaving kit
• Towels (2)
• Hairbrush and comb
• Tissues
• Wet wipes
• Sanitary towels/tampons if required

Money:

• Small change only. There may be a small hospital shop on site which sells newspapers, magazines and sweets. Please check local information for details.

General:

• Any walking aids i.e. sticks and frames need to be clearly labelled. Bring something to read, writing materials and stamps or something else to occupy your time quietly.

Medicines:

• When you come into hospital it is important that you bring in all your medicines (both what your General Practitioner (G.P.) prescribes and what you buy from your local pharmacy). By knowing what medicines you normally take, it helps the medical team to decide the best treatment for you. Please let the staff know that you or a relative has brought in your medicines.
  
  
• Normally we will look after your medicines in the pharmacy department ready for when you go home. If they are suitable for use and the doctors have not stopped them during your hospital stay, then we will give them back to you as part of your discharge prescription.
  
  
• If you have any concerns about your medicines whilst in hospital please ask the pharmacist, nurse or doctor looking after you.
  
  
  
  

What Not to Bring

Outdoor Clothes

• Storage space in the wards is limited, so please do not bring too many outdoor clothes that you will not need. It is often helpful to arrange for someone to do your laundry for you during your stay in hospital.
  

Valuables and Money

• Unless it is unavoidable, please do not bring jewellery, valuables or large sums of money with you. We cannot accept responsibility for anything you lose, even from your bedside locker.
  
  
• If you do have to bring valuables onto the ward please hand them to the ward sister when you arrive. The property will be listed and you will be given a receipt. Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust cannot accept any liability for any loss or damage to anything you bring with you unless it has been handed over for safekeeping and you have a receipt.
  

Gifts of food

• Many patients may be on a diet as part of their treatment. Visitors are asked not to bring gifts of food or alcohol drinks without first consulting with your nurse. Gifts of food should be strictly limited to squashes, fruit, biscuits or sweets.
  
  

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