Our Patients

Coming in to King’s

When you arrive for your outpatient appointment, scan, day case or inpatient admission you will need to confirm your personal details with the administration team.

If you are insured you will also need to provide the pre-authorisation code from your insurance company for your particular visit/ treatment.

If you are sponsored by embassy/ health office you will need to provide the letter of guarantee from your embassy/ health office for your particular visit/ treatment.

If you are self-paying you will need to pay for the consultation fee, any tests booked or related to this visit or inpatient/ day case admission prior to the admission or appointment date.

MRSA

We screen all patients admitted to the hospital for MRSA (meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus), either prior to or on admission. Swabs will be taken from your throat, the inside of your nose, your groin and sometimes from a wound. If MRSA is detected before admission you will be treated with a cream for 5 days before admission. If it is detected on admission you will also be treated with the cream and additional precautions will be taken in your care.

Before you come in

Your admission letter explains what you need to do before coming into hospital. It is essential you follow these instructions or your treatment may be delayed as a result.

Check your admission date

Please check the date on your admission letter. If you cannot attend, ring the telephone number on the letter as soon as possible.

Make sure a bed is available

In certain circumstances, emergencies mean that we have to delay a planned admission. So please call Guthrie Ward before you leave home to check that your bed is available. The best time to ring is stated in your letter, together with the number to call.

What to bring with you

If you are staying with us for more than a day, we advise that you bring some essential personal items with you, such as:

• Comfortable, loose-fitting nightwear, a dressing gown, slippers, a toothbrush and toothpaste, and any other toiletries you require.
• A small amount of money for purchases from the hospital shops.
• If you are a UK patient, the name, address and telephone number of your GP.
• Any tablets or medicines you have been taking at home.
• Reading material.
• Laptop or tablet.
• Mobile phone. You can use this in most areas of the hospital, but you may be asked to switch it off in certain locations.

Medicines

Please bring with you any prescribed tablets or medicines, including inhalers, creams or eye drops, that you have been using before you come to hospital. Medicines should be in their original containers and be fully labelled by your local pharmacist or we will not be able to use them.

If you are unable to bring your usual medicines into hospital, we will make sure you receive the ones you need. Your medicines will be kept in a locker next to your bed and not taken away without your permission.

When you leave, we will return your medicines if they are still prescribed for you. If you no longer need them, we will dispose of them with your permission.

Guthrie Ward has two highly trained pharmacists available to answer any questions you may have about your medications while you are in hospital.