South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust

Chelsham House

Information for patients

About Chelsham House Chelsham House is a 20-bed unit in the attractive grounds of Bethlem Royal Hospital in Beckenham. We offer assessment and treatment for people over 65 years of age who: • have an acute or continuing mental health problem • live in the boroughs of Croydon, Lambeth, Lewisham and Southwark. Younger adults may sometimes be considered. When you come into hospital you’ll be seen by a team of professionals including: doctors, nurses, occupational therapists, psychologists, physiotherapists and other visiting staff. You’ll have your own bedroom with an en-suite bathroom and lockable bedside cabinet. You may keep your bedroom door locked if you want to and most patients can have a bedroom key. Each room has a nurse call system. You can bring personal items with you but we ask you not to bring anything valuable. You can ask for a radio for your bedroom. Newspapers are delivered daily.

Our aim Our aim is to give safe and supportive care to people who need it, when they need it most. We try to make sure that our services are high quality, supportive of carers, flexible and built upon best practice. We aim to treat you as an individual and respect your dignity, cultural, religious beliefs and privacy at all times. We encourage you and your relatives/carers to be involved in care and treatment plans.

Page 2

Arriving at Chelsham House Coming into hospital can be a stressful time for you, your family and friends. You may feel anxious about your stay, the treatment you’ll get and how long your stay will last. Nurses are available 24 hours a day to help you with any questions or worries you may have. You’ll be under the care of the consultant psychiatrist. A primary nurse will let you know about any changes in your treatment or care plan, and help sort out any worries. Speak to them about any information you need during your stay.

What to bring to hospital You will wear your own clothes and we’ll encourage you to get out of bed during the day. We suggest you bring: • • • • • • •

dressing gown pyjamas/nightdress toiletries clothes for daytime coat shoes slippers.





If you use a hearing aid, glasses, false teeth or mobility aids, do also bring these. If possible, these items should be clearly marked with your name. For safety reasons, our electricians will check any electrical items you bring in, eg tv, radio, electric razors etc.

Page 3

Personal valuables We can’t take responsibility for valuables - so we suggest you don’t bring anything valuable into hospital. If you do, give it to a member of staff for safe keeping or ask a relative to take it home. Try to bring just the essentials.

Money

You can open a bank account with our patients’ cashier if you want to keep any cash on-site, but away from the ward. Our cashiers’ opening times are: Mon - Fri 10:00am – 12:00 noon and 2:30pm – 4:00pm. It’s important that you’re able to get your pension while you’re in hospital, If there are any problems with this we can contact the Pension Advisory Service for you. The cashier can also keep your pension book safely and use the bank account you’ve opened to pay any bills for you. Cash withdrawals can be arranged but we need 24 hours notice for amounts over £100. Please ask nursing staff if you need to make any other arrangements.

The team We have: • • •

doctors – one consultant psychiatrist and two junior doctors nurses – qualified nurses and health care assistants - your primary nurse will organise your care during your stay a clinical psychologist who can offer you talking therapy, individually or in a group, to help you cope with anxiety, depression and other difficulties. Talking about these can give you a different way of looking at your difficulties and help you to work out how to deal with them in the future. It can also help you manage other things you may be worried about, including your memory and thinking Page 4

• physiotherapists can advise and treat you for a range of physical problems including mobility and balance, supply any walking aids you need and give you advice and support on an exercise programme • an occupational therapist will see you to find out how you’re managing your daily life and what you’d like to do in the future - they’ll use activities to help you look at problems which may have led to mental health difficulties and your admission • support, time and recovery worker to run groups and activities and help with your recovery.

Meals Breakfast: Lunch: Supper:

9:00am -10:00am 12:00 noon -1:00pm 5:00pm - 6:00pm



To avoid disturbance, mealtimes at Chelsham House are ‘protected’. We usually ask that you don’t have visitors or make phone calls during mealtimes. Sometimes we can arrange for visitors to stay at mealtimes if this fits with your care plan. Nursing staff help you with your meals. Drinks and snacks are available 24 hours a day and we cater for different dietary needs and preferences. There are choices of menu for all main meals including halal, Asian, vegetarian, Afro-Caribbean or kosher dishes. It is Trust policy that cooked food brought in by relatives cannot be kept or re-heated on the ward.

Ward rounds The consultant psychiatrist sees patients during the ward round, which is a regular meeting with you and the clinical team. We’ll let you know when this is. You can have with you up to two relatives, carers or friends.

Page 5

Ward rounds are held at the following times: Tuesdays Thursdays

9:00am – 3.00pm 9:30am – 3.00pm

Visiting We ask visitors to sign in when entering the ward and then report to the nurses. A special room is available for visitors bringing children in. The visiting times are: Monday/Wednesday/Friday: 10:00am - 12:00 noon, 2:00pm - 4:00pm, 6:00pm - 8:00pm. Tuesday/Thursday/Saturday/Sunday: 10:00am - 12:00 noon, 2:00pm - 5:00pm, 6:00pm - 8:00pm.

Patients’ weekly meetings We hold weekly meetings for patients, carers and staff and we encourage you to come along and take part.

Ward activities The ward library has a variety of books to borrow including large print, together with board games, draughts and other games. Activities take place in group rooms including therapeutic groups and more informal activities such as music, relaxation and drama. There’s a computer for you to use and there are quiet areas. We also have two large day areas, one with a television. Patients can sit in the surrounding gardens. Exercise groups are held in the mornings from Monday to Friday and there are daily therapy programmes. Page 6

Reflexology and therapeutic care (hand massage, neck massage and manicure) are provided by British Red Cross volunteers. The Pets as Therapy dog visits once a week.

Laundry There is a washing machine and tumble dryer for washing clothes. We encourage you to do your own laundry if you can. If you can’t manage this we ask your carers/relatives to wash your clothes at home. Please help us to identify your laundry by marking your clothes with your name or initials.

Welfare department The welfare department rights worker can advise on Social Security benefits, help you with making claims for relevant benefits, and negotiate and liaise on your behalf with the Department of Work and Pensions and the local authority. You can access the service via nurses, doctors, MIND, etc. Welfare opening times: Mon - Fri 9:30am – 2:00pm 24 hr answerphone 020 3228 4988

Medication It’s very important to bring any prescribed medication with you. This may be changed during your stay, but it’s important for us to know all the prescribed medication you’re taking. We may need to check its safety with the Pharmacy before you use it on the ward.

Page 7

Drugs, alcohol and smoking Alcohol and illegal drugs make symptoms worse and cause disturbances in behaviour or injuries. You won’t be allowed to bring these into the hospital or use them on Trust premises. If necessary your consultant may ask you to undertake a breathalyser test. The Trust operates a no smoking policy. Please read the Smoking Policy displayed.

Informal patients As an informal patient, you can generally leave the ward. Your arrangements for going out may change during your stay, so if you’re not sure at any time, please ask your primary nurse or the nurse in charge. If you go out, please let us know where you are going and roughly when you expect to return. This is for your own safety but also helps us to plan meals and activities. We may ask you to sign out and sign in when you come back. The ward is locked for safety but informal patients may have permission to leave the ward on their or with an escort. Patients detained under the Mental Health Act can also leave the ward if they have the right legal documents.

Formal patients If you’ve been admitted under the Mental Health Act you may not be able to leave the ward without permission from the responsible clinician. You have a right to appeal to the Mental Health Act Managers and/or to the Mental Health Review Tribunal. You have a right to advice from the advocacy service (IMHA). Your primary nurse/nurse in charge will help you to appeal against your section. You may be given some treatments without your consent for up to three months depending on your section. Please ask your primary nurse/nurse to explain more about this.

Page 8

Going out Many patients are able to leave the ward for short walks with their visitors. Visitors should first check with the nurse in charge. You can borrow a wheelchair if you need to.

Rights and responsibilities for staff, patients and relatives We try to treat both patients and visitors, with courtesy, dignity and respect We’d like you to do the same for us. If you have a problem or complaint please let staff know so we can deal with it as soon as possible. The Trust does not tolerate abuse, harassment, violence or aggression toward its staff, services users, or visitors. If this happens, we will call the police and if needed prosecute someone who does this. There is a payphone that you can use. We don’t encourage the mobile phones on the ward and the use of cameras is strictly prohibited - please see Trust mobile phone and camera policy. If you choose to keep your mobile phone you will be responsible for its safekeeping and should keep it in your bedroom. Mobile phones should not be used in communal or clinical areas of the ward.

Spiritual and pastoral care service There’s a spiritual/multi-faith room for your use. We encourage you to bring in any materials/books that will help you to continue to practice your religious beliefs/faith. The hospital has its own chapel which patients can visit. The team represents various faith communities including Christianity, Islam and Buddhism. They also have links with others and will help you contact them, or ask them to visit the ward. The service wants to help people from any faith, or none, to explore their spirituality. You can contact the Chaplaincy on 020 3228 4361. Page 9

Leaving hospital Before leaving hospital, if you’re returning to your home you may have some days or weeks of home leave to help you get used to your home surroundings again. We’ll arrange for an occupational therapy assessment at home if you need it and agree an aftercare plan with you. When you leave we’ll give you a copy of your discharge care plan and let you know of any appointments you need to keep. We’ll discuss your medication with you and give you two weeks supply to take home with you and let your GP and care coordinator know about your discharge and treatment. You will be followed up by a member of the community team after your discharge.

How to get here By car: Bethlem Royal Hospital is shown clearly in the London A-Z street atlas. There is parking for visitors but no parking for in-patients. The speed limit within the hospital grounds is 5mph and pedestrians have priority on all roads. By bus: From Croydon: From Bromley: From Crystal Palace: From Orpington: From Forest Hill: By train:

194,119,198. 119, 367 (367 – 20 mins walk from Shirley) 358 358 (the 358 stop is 20 mins walk from Eden Park Station) 356 runs to the Shirley end of West Wickham High Street (passed the Bethlem).

Eden Park station is about 15-20 minute walk to/from Chelsham House, or via the 356 to outside the Bethlem Royal Hospital. Trains to Eden Park run from Charing Cross, Waterloo East or London Bridge every 30 minutes. Page 10

Alternatively, there are frequent fast trains to East Croydon from Victoria and London Bridge. By tram: You can get the 356 bus from the Tramlink stop at Elmers End.

Contact details Ward manager: Nurses’ station: Ward administrators: Patients’ pay phone:

020 3228 4333 020 3228 4364/4373 020 3228 4544 020 8777 7395

Chelsham House Bethlem Royal Hospital Monks Orchard Road, Beckenham, BR3 3BX 020 3228 4373/4364/4544 SLaM switchboard number: 020 3228 6000

Page 11

South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust

If you’d like a large print, audio, Braille or a translated version of this leaflet then please ask us.

Contact SLaM SLaM switchboard: 020 3228 6000 SLaM website: www.slam.nhs.uk

Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS) PALS is here to listen and support you in whatever way they can to ensure your experience at SLaM is a positive one. If you are not happy about something at SLaM then PALS will try to help you. If you decide you want to make a formal complaint PALS can advise you how to do this. PALS 24hr information line: 0800 731 2864 PALS website: www.slam.nhs.uk/pals PALS email: [email protected]

Travel For the quickest way to plan your journey to a SLaM service try TfL’s journey planner. TfL 24hr travel information: 020 72222 1234 www.tfl.gov.uk/journeyplanner

Reference: SLAM21 Date of Publication: 01.04.2013 Review Date: 01.04.2015