Nhs Hospitals In The U.k

An appointment at a NHS Hospital can be made via your General Practitioner, dentist or optician and treatment is free at the point of contact. The concept of free choice was introduced in April 2008 and this allows each patient to select the hospital that best suits their needs with a few exceptions such as mental health care and maternity services.
Admissions into a NHS Hospital
There are basically three types of NHS hospital admission and the three types are dependent on the treatment that you require. You can be admitted as:
• an outpatient – this means that there is no need to stay in the hospital overnight and treatment is provided by a specialist within the same day, maybe over a number of recurring appointments.
• a day patient - this means that you require a bed for your treatment but that there is no need for an overnight stay
• an inpatient – this means that you need a bed within the hospital and that you will stay one or more nights whilst your treatment is completed.
The beauty of free choice is that, as a patient you are given more freedom and choice you’re your care than ever before and you will find that you will be regularly consulted regarding the treatment being planned and how you are being treated. You should expect to be treated equally irrespective of gender, sexuality, and cultural or religious beliefs.
Discharge or Transfer from a NHS Hospital
The plan for your treatment will normally include when and under what circumstances you will be discharged or transferred. Again the introduction of free choice means that you will be consulted over any plan to discharge or transfer you to another NHS hospital so that your recovery time is minimized.
Your length of stay in hospital will depend upon the rate of progression of your improvement in health as a result of your medical treatment and also what type of support you may need at home once discharged. The vast majority of people require minimal ongoing support after leaving hospital and this is generally referred to as a minimal discharge. If you require more complex or extensive aftercare then it is referred to as complex discharge. Whatever the type of discharge, you may require further help and assistance from other professionals such as community nurses and these will be organized for you as part of the discharge plan.
Some patients require medication to take home with them and you can normally expect to be given a week’s supply and a letter to your GP which will explain what medication you have been given and any requirements for further medical check ups.