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Home , Churchill Hospital, John Radcliffe Hospital, Radcliffe Infirmary

For more help with choosing your , contact: Choosing your hospital

Patient Advice and Liaison Service Cherwell Vale and North East Oxfordshire Primary Care Trusts North Oxfordshire Primary Care Trust Partnership Indigo House Banbury Business Park Aynho Road Adderbury Banbury OX17 3NS

Tel: 0800 052 6088 www.cherwellvale-pct.nhs.uk www.neoxon-pct.nhs.uk P H O T O G R A P H Y C O P Y R I G H T : A L A M Y , G E T T Y , J O H N B I R D S A L L , N H S L I B R A

A copy of this booklet is also R Y , R E X

available on: www.nhs.uk , S P L , Z E F A /

270744/248 C O R B I © Crown copyright 2005. S What is patient choice? Things to think about If you and your GP decide that you need to see a specialist Where can I go for treatment? for further treatment, you can now choose where to have You might already have experience of a particular hospital or know someone who has. Now you can choose – where would you like to go? Or, if you like, your treatment from a list of or clinics. From April, your GP can recommend a hospital where you can be treated. you may have an even bigger choice – full details will be How do I find out more information on the NHS website (www.nhs.uk). about my condition? Your GP should be able to give you the answers to some of the questions This guide explains more about how the process works. you have. Or contact NHS Direct: visit www.nhsdirect.nhs.uk or call It also gives you answers to some questions you may have. 0845 4647 and ask to speak to a health information advisor. Plus, there are details of the hospitals you can choose and How long will it take? some information to help you choose the one that will be How quickly do you want to be treated? Would you be willing to travel best for you. If you need more help, details of your local further away if it meant you could be treated quicker? support services are on the back of this booklet. Where’s closest? You might want to think about how you will get to hospital. Who will take As well as the hospitals listed in this booklet, your GP may you there and pick you up when your treatment is finished? If you are going also be able to refer you to community-based services, to stay in hospital for a while, do you want to be close to family or friends? such as GPs with Special Interests or community clinics. Where’s best for me? Alternatively, if your GP decides to refer you to a Clinical Different people have different priorities. You know what’s most important for you – hospital cleanliness or location, for example. This booklet gives you Assessment Service and you then need to go to hospital, an overall idea of what each hospital is like, so you can work out which one you will be able to choose from this list of hospitals. suits you. If you want to find out more visit www.nhs.uk, the NHS website. Your questions answered Making your choice

Why would I want to choose which Is there help available for my travel You may already have a clear idea as to where you would like to be treated. If so, this hospital treats me? arrangements to get to hospital? booklet will give you more information on the hospital you have chosen. If you haven’t made If you choose which hospital you are treated If your GP or the person who has referred you up your mind, you could: in, you can make sure that you go to the determines that you have a medical need for place that will best suit your needs. transport to get to hospital, patient transport Find out what your choices are services should be provided. You may also Talk to your GP or local support services about the choices that are available to What if I don’t want to choose? have your travel expenses paid through the you and where you can get more information and support. You do not have to make the decision Hospital Travel Costs Scheme, if you get Get the information you need yourself. If you prefer, your GP can still Jobseeker’s Allowance, Working Tax Credit, make the choice for you and recommend Child Tax Credit or Pension Credit. This guide should give you most of the information you need to help you make a hospital for your treatment. your choice. For more details visit www.nhs.uk, the NHS website. Which hospital should I choose? Talk it through with someone else What if I don’t want to go to a The hospitals you can choose from will depend You may want to discuss your choices with family or friends, especially if you different hospital? on the type of specialist you need to see. This are going to need their help with travel or care after your treatment. You don’t have to. If you would rather visit booklet shows you which hospitals carry out Weigh up the pros and cons the hospital that you usually go to, then you the treatment you need (Where can I have my can make that choice. treatment?). The table How does your Hospital Consider your needs and compare each hospital using the information you have, Trust score? gives you more information about bearing in mind what is most important to you. Is patient choice offered for all these hospitals and will help you make a Book your appointment medical conditions? choice that best suits you. You will be advised how to book your hospital appointment. Once you have A choice of hospital is available for most decided where you want to go, follow this guidance. And don’t be afraid to ask medical conditions. However, not all What happens if I change my mind? if you need help with booking an appointment. hospitals treat every medical condition If you decide that you do not want to be and some patients may need a more treated at the hospital where you have your specialist service. first appointment, you can go back to your GP, who will go through the other options If I need treatment after my first available to you. appointment, will I be treated at Your hospitals the same hospital? Where can I get the information I need In most cases you will. But if you need very to help me make my choice? The next few pages will help you decide which hospital will be best for you: specialised treatment, you may have to go If you want to know something that isn’t to another hospital. covered in this guide, or you want more Where can I have my treatment? shows which Hospital Trusts treat advice, you can talk to your GP or other which conditions. There are descriptions of each of your local hospitals Will I have to pay? local support services. You’ll find the details and how to get to them. No, not as an NHS patient. All the hospitals of your local support services on the back The map shows where each hospital is. listed provide services to NHS patients. As cover of this booklet. You may also want to How do your hospitals score? gives ratings for each Hospital Trust, long as you choose one of the hospitals talk things through with family and friends. so that you can compare their performance in nine different categories. listed in this booklet, you won’t have to pay. For further information you can visit www.nhs.uk, the NHS website. Where can I have my treatment? Hospital Trusts

Use the chart below to check which hospitals provide the service you need. In addition Hospital Trusts are NHS organisations that manage hospitals. There may be more than to the hospitals listed, your GP may be able to refer you to community-based or other one hospital in a single Trust. The NHS collects information at Trust level, so a lot of services. Ask him or her what’s available in your local area. He or she will also advise information is listed by Trust, not by individual hospital. you if the service you need is not listed. Specialty name The list shows which hospitals are in which Hospital Trust. s c i y r d t e e Birmingham Children’s Nuffield Orthopaedic e a y a g r o n g p y i y r r u o o c y l g

h Hospital NHS Trust Centre NHS Trust s i e h

t g o t y o y d g l r r o o r g g e l l & o s o e l

y q s

u Birmingham Children’s Hospital Nuffield Orthopaedic Centre

o y i o t o c l l m s g i t x e m g

n & r l o o l l o

s a a y t o e t l c a l a a a o a g o a o r r e m m h i o i r n - o t m e e r a

t u d l l m d , u h s n n u n r e r e r a o Buckinghamshire Radcliffe Hospitals a e y e a e r p r e a h a a r E C D G G G G N O P R T U Hospital provider O Hospitals NHS Trust NHS Trust w Stoke Mandeville Hospital d Birmingham Children’s Hospital NHS Trust G e Wycombe Hospital f Horton Hospital g Buckinghamshire Hospitals NHS Trust GGGGGGGGGGGGGG Capio Healthcare h Capio Healthcare, Capio Reading Hospital GG G r Capio Reading Hospital Royal Berkshire and Battle Chelsea and Westminster Healthcare NHS Trust G Chelsea and Westminster Hospitals NHS Trust Healthcare NHS Trust j Royal Berkshire Hospital Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust GGGG t Chelsea and Westminster Hospital Swindon and Marlborough Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children NHS Trust G NHS Trust Gloucestershire Hospitals k Great Western Hospital Milton Keynes General Hospital NHS Trust G NHS Foundation Trust Netcare Healthcare, Netcare Mobile y Cheltenham General Hospital United Bristol Healthcare Opthalmology Chain G u Gloucestershire Royal Hospital NHS Trust l Bristol Royal Infirmary Northampton General Hospital NHS Trust GG Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children NHS Trust University College London Nuffield Orthopaedic Centre NHS Trust GG i Great Ormond Street Hospital Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust ; Oxford Radcliffe Hospitals NHS Trust GGGGGGGGGGG GG for Children University College Hospital Royal Berkshire and Battle Hospitals NHS Trust G G G G G G GGGG GGG Milton Keynes General Hospital NHS Trust Swindon and Marlborough NHS Trust G G G G G G G G G G GGG o Milton Keynes General Hospital

United Bristol Healthcare NHS Trust G Northampton General University College London Hospitals Hospital NHS Trust NHS Foundation Trust G a Northampton General Hospital

This data was correct at the time of going to print and may be subject to amendments. Find your hospital Your hospitals

The numbers on this map refer to the numbers on the hospital list on the previous page.

BIRMINGHAM CHILDREN’S BUCKINGHAMSHIRE HOSPITAL NHS TRUST HOSPITALS NHS TRUST

BIRMINGHAM CHILDREN’S STOKE MANDEVILLE HOSPITAL HOSPITAL

1 21 2 22 M6 3 23 M5 1 BIRMINGHAM 4 24 M45 5 25

M40 6 26 M1 10 Steelhouse7 27 Lane, Birmingham, Mandeville Road, Aylesbury, NORTHAMPTON West8 28 Midlands B4 6NH Buckinghamshire HP21 8AL Tel: 0121 333 9999 Tel: 01296 315000 13 9 29 BANBURY MILTON 9 www.bch.org.uk10 30 www.buckshospitals.nhs.uk M50 KEYNES M5 CHELTENHAM 11 6 AT A GLANCE AT A GLANCE 7 AYLESBURY 12 M40 This 204-bed hospital, in the city This 458-bed hospital, near Aylesbury, GLOUCESTER 2 1411 centre,13 provides a range of general offers a wide range of specialties OXFORD 15 12 14 M25 and specialist services to children including burns, general surgery, SWINDON HIGH 3 and15 adolescents, including liver neonatal intensive care, ophthalmology WYCOMBE transplantation,16 cardiac surgery and (eyes), national spinal injuries centre, 17 19 5 8 neonatal17 surgery. It also houses a orthopaedic surgery (bones and 18 M4 4 BRISTOL 16 20-bed18 intensive treatment unit. joints), maternity and gynaecology. READING LONDON PUBLIC19 TRANSPORT PUBLIC TRANSPORT Nearest20 train station: Snow Hill, Nearest train station: Aylesbury, 10 minutes walk. 15 minutes by taxi. Buses: Traveline 0870 608 2 608. Buses: Traveline 0870 608 2 608.

PARKING PARKING Limited. Charges apply. Limited. Charges apply. Your hospitals

BUCKINGHAMSHIRE HOSPITALS CAPIO HEALTHCARE NHS TRUST

WYCOMBE HOSPITAL CAPIO READING HOSPITAL

Queen Alexandra Road, Swallows Croft, Wensley Road, High Wycombe, Coley Park, Reading, Buckinghamshire HP11 2TT Berkshire RG1 6UZ Tel: 01494 526161 Tel: 0118 902 8000 www.buckshospitals.nhs.uk www.capio.co.uk

AT A GLANCE AT A GLANCE This 488-bed town centre hospital Capio Reading Hospital was has specialties including elderly purpose-built in 1993 and has 52 rehabilitation, women’s services, individual patient rooms and nine orthopaedics (bones and joints), twin rooms. It offers general surgery, special care baby unit, ear, nose and foot, hand and knee surgery, hernia throat, stroke, haematology (blood), repairs and endoscopy. cardiology (heart) and respiratory (breathing) services. PUBLIC TRANSPORT Nearest train station: Reading, PUBLIC TRANSPORT 10 minutes by taxi. Nearest train station: High Wycombe, Buses: Traveline 0870 608 2 608. 10 minutes walk. Buses: Traveline 0870 698 2 608. PARKING Free parking available. PARKING Limited. Charges apply. Your hospitals Your hospitals

CHELSEA AND WESTMINSTER GLOUCESTERSHIRE HOSPITALS GLOUCESTERSHIRE HOSPITALS GREAT ORMOND STREET HOSPITAL HEALTHCARE NHS TRUST NHS FOUNDATION TRUST NHS FOUNDATION TRUST FOR CHILDREN NHS TRUST

CHELSEA AND WESTMINSTER CHELTENHAM GENERAL HOSPITAL GLOUCESTERSHIRE ROYAL HOSPITAL GREAT ORMOND STREET HOSPITAL HOSPITAL FOR CHILDREN

369 Fulham Road, London SW10 9NH Sandford Road, Cheltenham, Great Western Road, Gloucester, Great Ormond Street, Tel: 020 8746 8000 Gloucestershire GL53 7AN Gloucestershire GL1 3NN London WC1N 3JH www.chelwest.nhs.uk Tel: 08454 222222 Tel: 08454 222222 Tel: 020 7405 9200 www.gloshospitals.nhs.uk www.gloshospitals.nhs.uk www.gosh.nhs.uk AT A GLANCE This modern 463-bed teaching AT A GLANCE AT A GLANCE AT A GLANCE hospital based in the heart of West This 400-bed hospital, in the centre This 670-bed city centre hospital This specialist 300-bed hospital is an London provides general and specialist of Cheltenham, provides general covers all major specialties for international centre of excellence in services. It has the only burns centre hospital services and specialises in inpatients, outpatients and day cases. central London, treating all types of in London and the largest sexual cancer care. It also provides services childhood diseases and conditions. health/HIV service in Europe. such as angioplasty (vein) and PUBLIC TRANSPORT A patient hotel has recently opened ophthalmology (eye) treatment. Nearest train station: Gloucester, for children needing treatment but PUBLIC TRANSPORT five minutes walk. not an overnight ward stay. Nearest Underground station: PUBLIC TRANSPORT Buses: Traveline 0870 608 2 608. West Brompton, 10 minutes walk. Nearest train station: Cheltenham PUBLIC TRANSPORT Buses: London Travel Information Spa, 20 minutes walk. PARKING Nearest Underground station: Russell 020 7222 1234. Buses: Traveline 0870 608 2 608. Charges apply. Square, two minutes walk. Buses: London Travel Information PARKING PARKING 020 7222 1234. Limited. Charges apply. Charges apply. PARKING Phone for details. Your hospitals Your hospitals

MILTON KEYNES GENERAL HOSPITAL NETCARE HEALTHCARE NORTHAMPTON GENERAL HOSPITAL NUFFIELD ORTHOPAEDIC CENTRE NHS TRUST NHS TRUST NHS TRUST

MILTON KEYNES GENERAL HOSPITAL NETCARE MOBILE NORTHAMPTON GENERAL HOSPITAL NUFFIELD ORTHOPAEDIC CENTRE OPHTHALMOLOGY CHAIN

Standing Way, Eaglestone, Tel: 020 7154 7800 Cliftonville, Northampton, Windmill Road, , Milton Keynes, www.netcareuk.com Northamptonshire NN1 5BD Oxford, Oxfordshire OX3 7LD Buckinghamshire MK6 5LD Tel: 01604 634700 Tel: 01865 741155 Tel: 01908 660033 AT A GLANCE www.northamptonshire.nhs.uk www.noc.nhs.uk www.mkgeneral.nhs.uk Netcare UK's mobile units, used as NHS Treatment Centres, have AT A GLANCE AT A GLANCE AT A GLANCE been designed and built to exact The 700-bed Northampton General The 140-bed Nuffield Orthopaedic This 525-bed general hospital is specifications for cataract surgery. Hospital is close to the town centre. Centre, north-east of Oxford, situated to the south of Milton Keynes It provides a full range of healthcare specialises in the prevention or city centre. It provides services PARKING services and is a specialist cancer centre. correction of injuries or disorders to including kidney dialysis and cancer Phone for details. the skeletal system and associated care, and has recently opened a PUBLIC TRANSPORT muscles, joints, and ligaments. special day surgery treatment centre. Nearest train station: Northampton, It also specialises in disability and one mile. rehabilitation services. PUBLIC TRANSPORT Buses: Traveline 0870 608 2 608. Nearest train station: Milton Keynes PUBLIC TRANSPORT Central, two miles. PARKING Nearest train station: Oxford, Buses: Traveline 0870 608 2 608. Charges apply. three miles. Buses: Traveline 0870 608 2 608. PARKING Charges apply. PARKING Limited. Charges apply. Your hospitals Your hospitals

OXFORD RADCLIFFE HOSPITALS OXFORD RADCLIFFE HOSPITALS OXFORD RADCLIFFE HOSPITALS OXFORD RADCLIFFE HOSPITALS NHS NHS TRUST NHS TRUST NHS TRUST TRUST

CHURCHILL HOSPITAL HORTON HOSPITAL JOHN RADCLIFFE HOSPITAL RADCLIFFE INFIRMARY

Old Road, Headington, Oxford, Oxford Road, Banbury, Headley Way, Headington, Woodstock Road, Oxford, Oxfordshire OX3 7LJ Oxfordshire OX16 9AL Oxford, Oxfordshire OX3 9DU Oxfordshire OX2 6HE Tel: 01865 741841 Tel: 01295 275500 Tel: 01865 741166 Tel: 01865 311188 www.oxfordradcliffe.nhs.uk www.oxfordradcliffe.nhs.uk www.oxfordradcliffe.nhs.uk www.oxfordradcliffe.nhs.uk

AT A GLANCE AT A GLANCE AT A GLANCE AT A GLANCE Churchill Hospital, three miles east Horton Hospital in Banbury has The John Radcliffe Hospital in 277-bed Radcliffe Infirmary in central of Oxford city centre, has 330 beds. 236 beds. Its services include Headington, three miles east of Oxford specialises in ENT (ear, nose Its specialties include cancer, kidney surgery, trauma and gynaecology, Oxford city centre, has 790 beds. Its and throat), ophthalmology (eyes), services and transplants, orthopaedics (bones and joints), services include surgery, trauma, neurology (nervous system) and and , as well as chest obstetrics (pregnancy), paediatrics paediatrics (children), obstetrics genito-urinary medicine. It also offers medicine, infectious diseases, (children), coronary care (heart), (pregnancy), gynaecology (women’s neurosurgery, cranio-facial, plastic and . and cancer services. health) and cardiac (heart) services. and reconstructive surgery.

PUBLIC TRANSPORT PUBLIC TRANSPORT PUBLIC TRANSPORT PUBLIC TRANSPORT Nearest train station: Oxford, Nearest train station: Banbury, Nearest train station: Oxford, Nearest train station: Oxford, three miles. 15 minutes walk. three miles. 15 minutes walk. Buses: Traveline 0870 608 2 608. Buses: Traveline 0870 608 2 608. Buses: Traveline 0870 608 2 608. Buses: Traveline 0870 608 2 608.

PARKING PARKING PARKING PARKING Phone for details. Charges apply. Charges apply. Limited. Phone for details. Your hospitals Your hospitals

ROYAL BERKSHIRE AND BATTLE SWINDON AND MARLBOROUGH UNITED BRISTOL HEALTHCARE UNIVERSITY COLLEGE LONDON HOSPITALS NHS TRUST NHS TRUST NHS TRUST HOSPITALS NHS FOUNDATION TRUST

ROYAL BERKSHIRE HOSPITAL GREAT WESTERN HOSPITAL BRISTOL ROYAL INFIRMARY UNIVERSITY COLLEGE HOSPITAL

London Road, Reading, Marlborough Road, Swindon, Upper Maudlin Street, Bristol BS2 8HW 235 Euston Road, London NW1 2BU Berkshire RG1 5AN Wiltshire SN3 6BB Tel: 0117 923 0000 Tel: 0845 155 5000 Tel: 0118 322 5111 Tel: 01793 604020 www.ubht.nhs.uk www.uclh.nhs.uk www.rbbh.nhs.uk www.swindon-marlborough.nhs.uk AT A GLANCE AT A GLANCE AT A GLANCE AT A GLANCE This 500-plus-bed hospital provides The University College London This large 800-bed district general This general hospital, just south-east general and acute medicine and Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust hospital provides a wide range of of Swindon, offers a wide range of surgery, critical care, cardiothoracic has sites situated close to the West specialist and general services acute services. It also has a specialist (heart), trauma and orthopaedic and End in central London. Incorporating including sub-specialist medicine, breast-care unit and orthopaedic and emergency treatment. a brand new hospital, opened in surgery, obstetrics, paediatrics and fracture clinic. 2005, the trust covers most cancer care. PUBLIC TRANSPORT surgical specialties. PUBLIC TRANSPORT Nearest train station: Bristol Temple PUBLIC TRANSPORT Nearest train station: Swindon, Meads, 15 minutes by taxi. PUBLIC TRANSPORT Nearest train station: Reading, three miles. Buses: Traveline 0870 608 2 608. Nearest Underground station: one mile. Buses: Traveline 0870 608 2 608. Warren Street, five minutes walk. Buses: Traveline 0870 6082608. PARKING Buses: London Travel Information PARKING Limited. Charges apply. 020 7222 1234. PARKING Limited. Charges apply. Limited. Charges apply. NIVERSITY COLLEGE LONDON PARKING HOSPITAL NHS FOUNDATION TRUST Limited. Charges apply. How does your Hospital Trust score? What do the ratings mean?

Check against the coloured chart to see how your Hospital Trust measures up. Go to the next page for more on what these ratings mean.

Healthcare Commission statistics Patients’ views The overall ratings A new approach to assess and report on the

s The Healthcare Commission is the independent performance of healthcare organisations has t e r s

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d regulator of healthcare, and is responsible for been developed for 2006, which looks at a

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i much broader range of issues. In autumn 2006, assessing and reporting on the performance v f t n t G a i i n i d o r n l o i r

a a t n e o n t i p Average i the Healthcare Commission will publish the a of healthcare organisations on an annual

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t e basis. For NHS Trusts, this involves issuing assessment of the performance of healthcare t l Below average e e n a e i n n l

i a a i t l

G g l e s g t i i e a s m A a n t n an annual performance rating. This overall organisations for for the year ending c r i p p e S n a a t

Poor t s n o c e a R p f a u o c a G l n n

R rating is made up of a number of performance March 2006. C O M H I I M A C indicators. The indicators show how Trusts are doing in relation to some of the main targets Healthcare Commission statistics .a Birmingham Children’s Hospital NHS Trust ### G G G GGG n/a n/a n/a set by the Government for the NHS, as well Inpatient waiting times as other broader measures of performance, This column shows how well your hospitals Buckinghamshire Hospitals NHS Trust ##$ G G G GGGGGG such as information from surveys of staff and have done at getting patients into hospital for patients. The indicators chosen for publication treatment as quickly as possible. The target Chelsea and Westminster Healthcare NHS Trust ### G G G GGG GGG in this leaflet are those that the Healthcare they were measured against was six months Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust ### Commission and Department of Health believe from the time when the hospital doctor G G G GGGGGG matter most to patients. decided that treatment was necessary. Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children NHS Trust ### G G G G G G n/a n/a n/a www.nhs.uk has the latest waiting times The 2005 NHS performance ratings were information. Milton Keynes General Hospital NHS Trust ### G G G G GGGGG published in July 2005 and cover the year ending 31 March 2005. They place NHS Cancelled operations Northampton General Hospital NHS Trust ##$ G G G G GGGGG Trusts in England into one of four This column shows how often your hospitals categories: cancelled booked operations for non-medical Nuffield Orthopaedic Centre NHS Trust ### G GGG GGGGG • Trusts with the highest levels of performance reasons (e.g. equipment being out of action, are awarded a rating of three stars. no bed being available or staff being away). Oxford Radcliffe Hospitals NHS Trust ##$ G G G GGGGGG • Trusts with mostly high levels of performance, but not consistent across all areas, are Outpatient waiting times Royal Berkshire and Battle Hospitals NHS Trust ### G G G G G GGGG awarded a rating of two stars. This column shows how well your hospitals • Where there is some cause for concern have done at getting patients into hospital Swindon and Marlborough NHS Trust ##$ G G G G G GGGG regarding particular areas, Trusts are for a clinic appointment following GP referral. The target they were measured against was United Bristol Healthcare NHS Trust #$$ awarded a rating of one star. G GGG GGGGG • Trusts that have shown the poorest levels 13 weeks from GP referral. www.nhs.uk has University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust ### G G G G G G GGG of performance receive a rating of zero stars. the latest waiting times information. If a Trust has a low rating because of poor Management of risk performance on a number of key targets and All hospitals need to make sure they are indicators, this does not mean that a hospital reducing the possibility of things going wrong is unsafe, that it does not contain some very and, if something does go wrong, making good clinical services or that the staff are not sure it won’t happen again. The Department working hard in often difficult circumstances. of Health issues standards to help hospitals It does mean that performance must be achieve this, and this column shows how well improved in a number of key areas. your services have done on achieving these.

Though regulated by the Healthcare Commission, published performance ratings for Independent Sector Treatment Centres and private hospitals are not currently available. Please turn the page for an explanation of the other ratings. For more information, please see individual hospitals' websites, www.dh.gov.uk or www.healthcarecommission.org.uk. What does the medical jargon mean?

Here’s a guide to some of the medical language used in this booklet.

Hospital cleanliness How long did you wait to be seen after you What’s a specialty? Once a year, hospitals have to assess their had arrived in outpatients? Were the reasons There are several different specialties, each with its own team of doctors. levels of cleanliness and report them to the for any waits explained? For example, some doctors will specialise in treating orthopaedics (bones Department of Health. This column shows and joints), while others will specialise in ophthalmology (eyes). how your hospitals have done. Cleanliness and comfort How clean were the outpatient department What’s an outpatient appointment? MRSA and toilets? Was it easy to find your way An outpatient appointment is when you visit the hospital to see a doctor One of the things that patients are most around? Patients were also asked how they who will examine you so that she or he can diagnose what the problem is worried about is catching the infection MRSA felt the hospital staff had treated them – for and think about what the best treatment will be. (Methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus). example, did hospital staff talk in front of you It can be a very nasty infection, but it is as if you were not there, and did staff respect What’s a day case? actually quite rare in comparison to the your privacy? Simple treatments are often done as day cases. This means you will not number of patients who receive hospital care normally stay overnight. each year. People do not always catch it in Information provided hospital – they may already have it before they Patients were asked questions about how What’s inpatient treatment? enter hospital. But hospitals have to record all satisfied they were with information they Inpatient treatment is when you go into hospital to have your treatment MRSA bloodstream , whether or not received. Were the reasons for tests or and stay overnight. patients have contracted them in hospital. treatment explained? Were you told what This column gives an indication of the number to expect? Were you given information about What’s elective treatment? of cases of MRSA bloodstream infections and the medication that was prescribed for you? Most treatment is routine or ‘elective’. This simply means your treatment whether the Hospital Trust has been successful Were you given the name of someone you is planned in advance rather than you needing emergency treatment. in reducing the number of cases since last could contact if you were concerned after Routine treatment usually takes place during normal working hours, year. MRSA rates may vary depending on the you left? although occasionally some hospitals work at weekends. type of patients the hospital treats. You can find out more about MRSA infection from the About the Healthcare Commission What’s a GP with a Special Interest? Department of Health website (www.dh.gov.uk), The Healthcare Commission exists to promote Sometimes, rather than going to a hospital or clinic, you may be able to which includes a complete breakdown of all improvements in the quality of healthcare and choose to be treated by a GP with a Special Interest. These are GPs who Trusts’ rates and A simple guide to MRSA. Or public health in England. It has a wide range have extensive training and experience in their specialty as well as their visit www.nhsdirect.nhs.uk, the NHS Direct of responsibilities, all aimed at improving the GP qualifications. website. quality of healthcare. These responsibilities include assessing the performance of healthcare What patients said organisations, awarding annual performance In 2005 the Healthcare Commission published ratings for the NHS and coordinating reviews the results of a survey of patients who had of healthcare by others. For more information attended outpatient clinics. These columns about the Healthcare Commission, go to include the results against questions that asked: www.healthcarecommission.org.uk or ring 0845 601 3012. Access and waiting How long did you have to wait for an appointment to be seen in a hospital clinic? Was the appointment cancelled? Were you given a choice of times for your appointment?