Support for patients with unpaid carers

If the person you care for is admitted to hospital or attending an outpatient appointment, please visit our carers advice page. You will find information about help and support available to you as an unpaid carer of an inpatient at East Surrey Hospital.

To help us better understand the needs of the person you care for, please bring in key information when they are admitted. Helpful items include:

  • Any existing care plans that are in place
  • Current medicines tablets or prescriptions
  • The name, address and phone number of their GP and next of kin
  • Information about any other people currently involved in care
  • Items of personal need, including hearing aids or important personal mementos. Please ensure these items are clearly labelled

Please avoid bringing in valuable items.

Support for patients with learning disabilities 

A Learning Disability is a lifelong condition which cannot be cured. There are three core criteria which must be met for the term Learning Disability to apply:

  • Significant impairment of intellectual function. An IQ below 70
  • Significant impairment of adaptive and/or social function and their ability to cope with demands on a day to day basis
  • Normally occurs at birth or shortly after

Learning disability patients should have a ‘flag’ on the hospital system to identify their diagnosis. This allows hospital staff to consider reasonable adjustments and be aware of their additional needs as they move through the hospital. If you know you are coming into the hospital, please call ahead to the liaison nurses to ensure you have a flag in place.

The team of specialist nurses and doctors provide support, advice, teaching and liaison of patient care for patients who are experiencing mental health problems whilst an inpatient in East Surrey Hospital.

The Liaison Psychiatric Service provides full mental health assessments and risk assessments, including referrals to other services to create discharge plans for referred patients aged 16 years to end of life.

Contact the Liaison Psychiatric Service at East Surrey Hospital
For queries, please call 01737 768 511 ext 2093

We operate this service 24 hours a day.

Our Patient Medication Helpline is available for you to call if you have any questions about your medicines after you have left hospital.

The freephone number is 0808 2810 188 and the line is manned from 2:30-4:30pm each day, Monday to Friday.

If your question is not urgent, then you can leave a message or email us on medicines.information@sash.nhs.uk