While you are in hospital, keeping you safe and well is a priority for the colleagues looking after you. There are some simple things you can do to help keep yourself safe during your hospital stay, such as asking for help when needed, protecting yourself from slips and falls and helping to prevent blood clots.

The NHS England National Patient Safety Team have created a video and leaflet providing tips on keeping yourself safe during your hospital stay which we encourage you to watch.

Simple steps to keep you safe during your hospital stay

You can also watch this video with British sign language, or read it in a leaflet available in a range of languages:

  • English
  • Arabic
  • Cantonese
  • French
  • Gujarati
  • Mandarin
  • Polish
  • Portuguese
  • Punjabi
  • Romanian
  • Spanish
  • Urdu

What to bring in for a hospital stay

We encourage you or a loved one, to bring in items to help make your stay more comfortable and aid your recovery. Please bring in:

  • shoes: well fitting shoes or slippers to keep you steady on your feet
  • clean clothes: getting up and dressed helps your recovery as you continue to use your muscles and can also help you stay independent after your stay
  • toiletries: anything you would usually need for an overnight stay
  • glasses, dentures, hearing aids or your usual walking aids
  • something to engage your mind, like a reading or puzzle book

What to take home

We know that quite a few of our patients aren’t planning a hospital stay, and come in with items that could be lost or damaged.

Please take home:

  • any unessential property: small valuables, money
  • if you are not able to do so, speak to one of our colleagues about holding property in safekeeping

Unfortunately, the trust accepts no responsibility for loss or damage of your property, unless deposited for safekeeping.