Your treatment as an inpatient
At the Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust we want every inpatient to understand his or her NHS treatment and why that treatment is needed. Before you receive healthcare at Barnet, Chase Farm or Royal Free hospitals, your medical consultant will explain what he or she is recommending and answer your questions.
No medical treatment is carried out without your consent.
Who looks after my medical care?
The medical consultant and his or her team of doctors are responsible for your medical care while you are in hospital. If you have any questions about your medical condition or treatment, please ask.
Who looks after my nursing care?
The ward sister or charge nurse has overall responsibility for your nursing care. A registered nurse will be identified to care for you on every shift. A nursing care plan is developed and put in place following admission to make sure that your medical care is consistent while you're in treatment.
If you have any questions about your healthcare please ask to speak to the ward sister or charge nurse.
Is my medical treatment confidential?
We take our duty of confidentiality extremely seriously and all staff receive regular training in keeping confidentail the details of our patients' care.
Will I ever be seen by a medical student?
The Royal Free Hospital is part of the UCL medical school campus and medical students often accompany a doctor or medical consultant on the ward. If you do not wish to be seen by a medical student please tell the ward sister or charge nurse. Choosing not to have a student will not affect your care.
Patient choice and patient experience: our commitment
The Royal Free aims to respect your privacy, dignity and religious and cultural beliefs at all times. Please tell us about any special requirements, such as diet or washing.
We have Anglican, Roman Catholic, Muslim, Free Church and Jewish chaplains and can arrange for you to see ministers and leaders of other religious groups as well. The chaplains are happy to talk to all patients who would like support, whether or not they are religious. Please ask the ward staff to help you to make contact.
Refusing treatment is a patient choice
Royal Free fully respects that it is a patient choice to refuse hospital treatment in advance.
This is known as an advance decision, advanced statement, or living will, and is a way of making a patient choice known if the patient becomes mentally incapable of:
• giving consent to NHS treatment
• making informed choices about NHS treatment
• being fully involved in the planning of medical care
Medical staff must follow any valid and applicable advance decision and give your other wishes serious consideration.
We are fully committed to the importance of patient opinion in these matters. Please do not hesitate to ask us for further advice on making an advance decision.
You can also read about making an advance decision in more detail in our policy document.