Patients

Other information

This section tells you about the information that we provide for patients, their families and members of the public.

Full list of all patient information leaflets available for download

If you have any questions about our patient information, please ask a member of staff or email communications@stgeorges.nhs.uk

View the relevant section using the following list:

Health information centre
Consent
Your information
Copies of your letters

Health information centre

The health information centre for patients and their families is located next to the Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS) office, on the ground floor of Grosvenor Wing, near the main entrance of the hospital.

We think it's important for you to understand your condition and treatments as well as find out about services available. This will help you to feel more in control of your health.

You can drop in for information in a variety of formats such as leaflets, videos, audiotapes and interactive CD-ROM. We realise that patients and their families might have special needs or language requirements, so we also aim to provide information in Braille, large print, translated or picture information.

Consent

If you need an operation or an examination under anaesthetic, you will be asked to sign a form giving your consent.

It is very important that you understand what is being explained to you, so please ask as many questions as you need to. You might find it useful to read any information (see the section on Patient Information Leaflets) that you may be given by the staff.

The Department of Health publishes information about consent and consent forms about these forms, including versions in languages other than English.

Your information

Information about you: All NHS staff have a legal duty to keep your personal medical information confidential. Please ask the doctor, ward sister or charge nurse if there is anything you want to know about your condition, treatment or medicines. Don't hesitate to tell them if you don't understand what you are told
Access to your medical information: You can also ask to see your medical records
The Data Protection Act 1998 and Access to Health Records Act 1990: These allow you to have access to information held in your medical record or on St George's Computer System (with some restrictions)
More information: If you would like to know more about this please write to:
Health Records Manager
Medical Records Department
St George's Hospital
Blackshaw Road
London
SW17 OQT
Relatives and friends: If you give your permission, the staff will keep your relatives, friends informed of your progress. Please let them know who wish to be kept up to date
Other personal information: To help staff to remember your name when you first arrive and to identify you at all times, the nurse will write your name above your bed. If you are not comfortable with this, please tell a member of the nursing team and it can be removed

Copies of your letters

Patients are now asked if they would like a copy of any letters sent by healthcare professionals about them. You can say no to be sent a copy, so here are some points to think about:

What is a letter?

It is a letter written from one healthcare professional to another about a patient
It will include letters to outside agencies (social services, housing, insurance companies)
Copies are only sent by the person writing the letter (the hospital will not copy letters that it receives)
"Raw data" (single results such as X-ray reports, blood tests) should not normally be sent, but later the outcome of the tests will form part of a letter copied to the patient

Special points

You will not be sent a letter unless your consent has been noted in your Medical Records. If you are being treated by more than one team or speciality, you will be asked by each one whether or not you want a copy of your letter
When the patient is a child, the letter is sent to the parent or legal guardian
If the patient is not able to make decisions for themselves, a guardian can be asked
The letter will not replace consultations but is a way to help the patient understand
If you would like to receive a copy of the letter, but your mail box is not secure for confidential information. Talk to the staff about collecting your letter from a "safe haven"
It is very important that the hospital has your correct details, such as your address to send the copy of the letter to. Please help us by telling us if you change any of your details