Hospital services
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.
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Your comments about our catering services are always welcome and we would be happy to talk to you personally. Please contact the catering team on ext. 3462 (office hours).
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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 BBC Radio stations on the headset over your bed. Please ask the nursing staff to explain how these should be used. The hospital also has its own radio station, Radio West Suffolk, which is on air each weekday evening and at weekends. Record requests for patients are played during these programmes. Please ask on your wards for request forms, or telephone Bury St Edmunds 713403 during the programme for a request.
Adult patients can rent a personal mini colour television and radio set with headphones. The dayrooms have colour televisions for communal viewing.
Library
The hospital has its own library service, and a trolley brings books to each ward at least twice a week. Please make sure you return your books 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
United News and the WRVS shops 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. There is also a National Westminster Bank which is open Monday to Friday from 12.00 to 2.30pm.
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
You may make outgoing phone calls on the trolley telephones provided on each ward. These are modern 'push button' style phones and take most coins. There are also some public telephones in the main entrance on the ground floor. All pay phones have induction loop couplers that are compatible with NHS hearing aids. A text phone is also available on request.
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 a lot of help from individuals and voluntary organisations who provide additional services for our patients. Volunteers assist on the Wards, in our play room, on the Information Desk in main reception, in the Day Centre and with the library service. The WRVS has a shop in reception and provides a trolley service to our wards; Red Cross volunteers offer a free hand care service to our patients and Radio West Suffolk is the hospital's own broadcasting service which is managed and run entirely by volunteers.
We are very grateful for the support given to our hospital in this way from people within our local community 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.
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