John's Campaign - carers are welcome

John’s Campaign was started after Dr. John Gerrard passed away in 2014 following a long hospital stay in the UK. His family wanted to improve how hospitals treat carers, people who look after loved ones. To learn more this campaign please visit Johnscampaign.org.uk

Tallaght University Hospital (TUH) supports this campaign. It means carers (like a partner, family member, or friend) are welcome to be with their loved one in hospital and help support them, as agreed with the care team.  Email: johnscampaign@tuh.ie.

 

What can carers do?

Carers can help by:

• Speaking up for their loved one
• Sharing important information
• Providing comfort and reassurance

Carers are not expected to do the jobs of hospital staff, and they may not always be able to stay due to other responsibilities.

Carers vs. Visitors

Carers are different from regular visitors. They can come outside normal visiting hours, but they still need to follow hospital rules.

If a patient did not have a carer before coming to hospital, normal visiting hours apply.

What is the Carer’s Passport Card?

This card lets carers stay with their loved one whenever needed, even outside regular visiting times.

• It is only for the person named on the card (not transferable).
• You get it from the ward staff where your loved one is staying.
• If your loved one moves to a different ward, you will get a new card.
• Wear the card clearly while in the Hospital and return it when your loved one is discharged.

How to get one: Read the “Patient Healthcare Passport & Visitor Information Leaflet,” fill out the Carer’s Passport Agreement, and give it to a nurse on the ward.

Important to know:

• You may be asked to leave the ward in emergencies or special situations.
• You should only care for your own loved one, not other patients.

Neurodivergent Patients

Neurodivergence is a term used to describe differences in how people feel, think, and perceive the environment. It includes a broad spectrum of neurological disorders, such as autism, Tourette syndrome, ADHD, Down syndrome and dyslexia.

Recognising the diverse needs of neurodivergent patients, the Hospital have developed some training materials for staff and those working in Healthcare on Autism.

The Hospital has also published a podcast series on Down syndrome, the five part series looks at what Down syndrome is, common health issues and the importance of health screening from the age of 35.

Autism

Produced in conjunction with AsIAm, this educational eLearning programme provides evidence based knowledge about autism for healthcare professionals interacting with autistic children and adults in an acute hospital setting. Autistic patients attending the adult services at TUH will now benefit from improved accommodation of their specific needs, a more knowledgeable workforce and a calmer hospital experience. The education programme was produced with the support of TUH and the Nursing and Midwifery Planning and Development Unit in the HSE. It is 40 minutes long and is available to healthcare professionals through HSELand (the health service’s online development portal). You can watch a brief extract via this link

Our Emergency Department has implemented innovative strategies to support the patient experience. Central to this initiative is the development of comprehensive guidelines for staff, equipping them with the necessary tools to effectively communicate with patients who identify as neurodivergent. These guidelines encompass a range of communication strategies tailored to individual needs, fostering a supportive and understanding environment from the moment patients enter the ED. 

The Hospital is steadfast in its commitment to advancing neurodiversity-friendly practices. By prioritising education, training, and ongoing evaluation, the Hospital aims to continually refine its approach and ensure that every patient receives the compassionate and inclusive care they deserve. One significant step taken by the ED is the establishment of a dedicated sensory room. Sensory challenges, such as sensitivity to light and noise, can exacerbate stress and anxiety for neurodivergent individuals in busy ED environments. The sensory room provides a calming space, offering a respite from overwhelming stimuli and promoting relaxation. This innovative approach not only demonstrates a commitment to accommodating diverse sensory needs but also underscores the Hospital's dedication to enhancing the overall patient experience. You can read more about it here. 

Down Syndrome

Each episode of the Let’s Talk About Down Syndrome series is targeted at individuals with Down syndrome, their families and carers, health and social care staff and anybody who has an interest in the health needs of adults with Down syndrome in Ireland. The series is hosted by Geraldine Kyle, a registered nurse tutor in TUH and mother of a young adult with Down syndrome.

Episode #1

Nicola Hart, National Research & Support Specialist of Down syndrome Ireland and Ross O’Neill, Junior Administrator in Down syndrome Ireland speak to Geraldine and share valuable insights about the lived experience of someone living with Down syndrome and important communication strategies that healthcare staff should be aware of.

Transcript for the episode is located at this link
Check out the information and resources available at Down syndrome Ireland (DSI) at www.downsyndrome.ie
Which also has information for healthcare professionals in supporting adults with Down syndrome in hospital.

 Episode #2

In this episode Geraldine is joined by Fiona McGrane, Clinical nurse Specialist in Down syndrome in Children’s Health Ireland and discusses the common health needs of people with Down syndrome and the importance of a smooth transition from the children to adult services, sharing  some practical advice to parents / carers.

Transcript for the episode is located at this link
Check out “The Medical Management Guidelines for Children and Adolescents with Down syndrome in Ireland” at Down syndrome Ireland - Health

Episode #3

Fran Kane, a member of the TUH Patient Community Advisory Council and a mother of a young adult with Down syndrome and Suzanne Kennedy, Acute Intellectual Disability Liaison Nurse in TUH discuss some of the important issues that face people with Down syndrome accessing hospital services. They stress the importance of effective communication and how helpful the HSE Health Passport can be in the healthcare journey in hospital.

Transcript for the episode is located at this link
Check out information about the HSE Health Passport A free App version can be downloaded to your smart phone from wherever you get your Apps.
TUH Easy Read Resources

Episode #4

Professor Seán Kennelly, Consultant Geriatrician & Clinical Director of the National Intellectual Disability Memory Service and his colleague Evelyn Reilly, Advanced Nurse Practitioner in the National Intellectual Disability Memory Service join Geraldine to discuss the relationship with dementia and Down syndrome and its prevalence. They also talk about what people should be aware of when considering the risks of dementia in people with Down syndrome, very practical advice on how to mind the brain as people with Down syndrome age.

Transcript for the episode is located at this link
Read more about the Memory Clinic in TUH
Read more about Delirium
Read more about Horizon 21

Episode #5

Professor of Ageing & Intellectual Disability at Trinity College Dublin Mary McCarron discusses with podcast host Geraldine Kyle the results of the Intellectual Disability Supplement to the Irish Longitudinal Comparative Study on Ageing. In this final episode she shares her thoughts on important ways that healthcare staff can support the health needs of people with Intellectual Disability including Down syndrome.

Transcript for the episode is located at this link
Check out the IDS TILDA reports and infographics
Check out IDS TILDA education resources
Check our IDS TILDA wave 5 Easy Read

An Easy Read guide for getting ready for your operation in hospital

Public Wifi

TUH Public WiFi

The Public Wi-Fi system at TUH is provided free of charge as a value added service to patients, visitors, and business partners of the Hospital.   This Terms of Use apply from when we accept your request for Service. Please read the terms carefully before activating the Service with us. Each session will expire after eight hours.

This notice sets out the terms and conditions on which wireless internet access (“the Service”) is provided to you. All persons accessing the TUH Guest wireless network must abide by all hospital policies and will note that all access is recorded and will be submitted upon request to any legitimate law enforcement agencies. 

Please be aware, the Service is provided without warranty or support and that you may experience congestion at certain peak times. The Service is provided without encryption and is not classified as a secure means of access. Therefore users access the Service at their own risk. TUH is not responsible for the loss, misuse or theft of any information, passwords or other data transmitted by users through the Hospital Guest wireless network.  You assume all responsibility and risk for use of the service.

Security

TUH does not guarantee the security, the confidentiality or the integrity of the user's information on the Hospital Guest wireless network.

Providing services

• You are responsible for providing all hardware and other equipment required to access and use the service. You are responsible for ensuring the compatibility of your equipment with the service.
• All services are provided on an “as is” basis. We do not warrant that the service is fault free or fit for any particular purpose, or that our system is secure. You assume all responsibility and risk for use of the Service.
• We will always try to make the service available, but it may be interrupted, limited or curtailed due to maintenance and repair work, transmission or equipment limitations/failures, connection failures or due to an emergency. We are not responsible for data, messages or pages that you may lose or that become misdirected because of interruptions or performance issues with the service.
• We reserve the right to immediately and without notice, suspend your access to the service if we suspect that you are transmitting a virus (or any other manipulating program capable of modifying other programs and replicating itself).
• Network speed is no indication of the speed at which your equipment connected to the service sends or receives data. Actual network speed will vary based on configuration, compression and network congestion. The accuracy and timeliness of data sent or received is not guaranteed and you accept that delays or omissions may occur.
• We will not supply any software to you in connection with the Service. If you use software packages, applications or configurations then you accept the risk of any failure of the service resulting from the use of such software packages, applications or configurations.

Use of Service

The service is made available provided:

• You do not use it for anything unlawful, immoral or improper;
• You do not use the Service to make offensive or nuisance communications in whatever form. Such usage includes posting, transmitting, uploading, downloading or otherwise facilitating any content that is unlawful, defamatory, threatening, a nuisance, obscene, hateful, abusive, harmful (including but not limited to viruses, corrupted files, or any other similar software or programs), a breach of privacy, or which is otherwise objectionable;
• You do not act nor knowingly permit others to act in such a way that the operation of the service or our systems will be jeopardised or impaired. This includes the wilful or ignorant wasting of system or network resources by sending large volumes of spam or the wilful creation of heavy network traffic;
• You do not modify or extend the service beyond its intended use;
• You do not use abusive or threatening behaviour towards other users of the service, members of our staff or any person in the vicinity;
• You do not use the service to access or use content in a way that infringes the rights of others;
• The service is used in accordance with any third party policies for acceptable use or any relevant internet standards (where applicable);
• You do not use your equipment to take photos, videos or sound recordings of staff, patients or any member of the public unknown to you and send or publish them using the service;
• You do not use your equipment to cause harm to the administration of justice or to national security for e.g. terrorism etc.;
• You do not use our services for commercial gain;

This list is not exhaustive

Content disclaimer

• The Hospital does not control, nor is it in any way liable for, data or content that you access or receive via the service. The Internet contains unedited materials, some of which may be sexually explicit or offensive to you. Although the Hospital makes efforts to restrict such content, we have no control over and accept no responsibility for such materials. Sites which are deemed to contain unsuitable material will be blocked.

• The Hospital is not a publisher of third-party content that can be accessed through the service and is not responsible for any opinions, advice, statements, services or other information provided by third parties and accessible through the Service. You are responsible for evaluating such content.
• It is your responsibility to evaluate the value and integrity of goods and services offered by third parties accessible via the service. The Hospital will not be a party to nor in any way be responsible for any transaction concerning third party goods and services. You are responsible for all consents, royalties and fees related to third party vendors whose sites, products or services you access, buy or use via the service.
• The Hospital does not guarantee the accuracy, completeness or usefulness of information that is obtained through the service.
• If you choose to use the service to access web sites or content provided by third parties or purchase products from third parties, then your personal information may be available to the third-party provider. The way third parties handle and use your personal information related to the use of their services is governed by their policies and the Hospital has no responsibility for their policies, or third parties’ compliance with them.
• The Hospital is providing the service to customers free of charge, and is intended to support general web browsing activities. Due to limited bandwidth and to ensure a consistent experience for all customers, we cannot guarantee internet speeds fast enough to support high-bandwidth actions such as streaming music, streaming video or downloading large files.
• Network bandwidth will be throttled and will thus be unsuitable for P2P downloads, mobile device operating system (iOS, Android, Windows) updates.

TUH reserves the right to amend these terms of use at any time.

Department & Ward Telephone Numbers

Department Phone Numbers

Below is a list of useful telephone numbers, including Hospital Departments, out-patients clinics, wards.

• Hospital Departments

• Out-Patient Clinics and Appointments

• Wards

A Statement of Information Practices at Tallaght University Hospital

Hospital Facilities

The Hospital provides a number of facilities for patients and visitors. For further information on these services, please read below.

An ATM machine is located in the atrium beside the shop.

Bed and Breakfast
A list of B&B's and hotels in the area is available at the main reception desk in the front hall. 

Canteens & Coffee Shops
Relatives and visitors are welcome to use any of our canteen/coffee shop facilities. The hospital canteen is called the Phoenix and provides a variety of hot meals.

A shop located in the main entrance hall of the Hospital where you can buy confectionary, soft drinks, ice cream newspapers, magazines, puzzle books greeting cards, toys (small selection) and toileteries. Opening hours are from 7am – 9.30pm Monday to Friday and 7am-8pm Saturday, Sunday & Bank Holidays.

The BaxterStorey Coffee Shop is open in the main atrium from 7am – 9:30pm Monday to Friday and 9am-8pm Saturday, Sunday & Bank Holidays.

The 'Oasis' coffee shop is located in the reception area of the main entrance hall. It is staffed by volunteers - is open from 10am - 3pm Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and 10am - 1pm every Friday. 

Comments, compliments and complaints
Please visit the Patient Advice & Liaison section of the website.

Mass Times/Pastoral Care
The Hospital offers patients the services of the Pastoral Care Team. The members of the ecumenical Pastoral Care Team are chaplains from four main Christian traditions. We also liaise with leaders of Jewish, Islamic, Buddhist, Hindu and other faiths. Each chaplain serves as a member of the healing team working with all those who care for patients.

The Hospital Chapel is located on the ground floor. To request a chaplain, please ask the nurse on duty to make contact.

Mass Services and Liturgies in the Hospital Chapel

Sunday:

• 8:15am: Celebration of Mass for Staff members
• 9:30am: Celebration of Holy Communion - Church of Ireland, Methodist, Presbyterian and other Christian traditions
• 10:30am: Celebration of Mass for patients and families, followed by the Sacrament of the Sick for those who wish

Monday to Friday

• 1:30pm: Celebration of Mass. In addition, a variety of other Christian services are held as announced. Sacraments for the different traditions are available on request.

Roman Catholic Ministers of the Eucharist visit the wards:

• Sunday: after 10:30am Mass
• Wednesday: 10:30am (approx)
• Friday: 10:30am (approx)

Muslim prayer on a Friday takes place in the Quiet Room between 1:30pm and 2pm.

Meals (for patients)
Breakfast, lunch, dinner and tea/coffee are served on the wards. A continental breakfast is served, while patients can select from a choice of four meals at lunch and five meals at dinner. Special dietary meals are also provided.

Please ask the ward staff if you are not sure what you are allowed to eat or drink.
To reduce the risk of patients contracting food-related illnesses, we ask you to check with staff in charge before bringing in food from outside.
Visitors are welcome to use any of our canteen or coffee shops.

Medicines
Any medicines that you need will be provided on the ward. If you bring any medicines with you from home, please hand them to staff. When in hospital, do not take any other medicines without the knowledge of your doctor, nurse or pharmacist. If you require medication when leaving the hospital, a prescription will be given to you before discharge.

We have pharmacists who will answer your questions and give you information about your medicines. Please ask us to explain if there is anything you don't understand.

Medical Certificates
Medical certificates, if required, should be obtained from a member of your Consultant’s team prior to discharge. Further medical certs for periods after your discharge should be obtained from your GP.

Medical Record
For information on your medical record or patient confidentiality, please click here.

Parking
You can park your car in the multi-story car park. This is run by a private company. There is a charge for the use of this car park. Updated charges to be posted shortly.

Car park charges:

• 0 - 1 hour: €2.50
• 1 - 2 hours: €5
• 2 - 3 hours: €7.50
• 3 - 4 hours: €10 (Maximum day rate up to 24hrs)
• Flexible day pass/multiple entries & exits in one day €12.50
• Entry pass x six times within a three month period: €25

As we do not have the space to offer free parking to patients who have to stay in the hospital for a long period of time, we suggest that, where possible, you arrange with someone to bring you to and collect you from the hospital.

Paying Your Bill
You can now pay your hospital bill online. Simply click on the Pay Online tab on the Hospital's home page. 

Postal Service
Letters and parcels are delivered to the wards on a daily basis. Letters may be posted in the letter box in the main atrium of the Hospital. The large green postbox can be found on the right hand side of the front doors as you walk out of the Hospital. If you are restricted to your bed, the ward clerks will post your letters. 

Security
The Hospital is monitored by CCTV cameras both internally and externally, 24 hours a day.

Security Officers manage traffic control and routinely patrol all areas of the buildings and grounds.
All security incidents, including items lost or found, should be reported to the Security Office in the main entrance hall.

Shop
The shop is located in the main entrance hall. The shop is open seven days a week from 7:30am to 9pm including bank holidays. This shop is not run by the Hospital. It is managed by a private company.

Shopping Centre
Your visitors may like to know that the Square Shopping Centre is just a few minutes walk from the Hospital. The centre has many of the big shopping chains. For more information about the shops in the centre you can contact the centre on (01) 452 5944. There is also a petrol station and cinema located near the Centre.

Telephones
The Hospital's main telephone number is (01) 414 2000.

We also have a 'Direct Inward Dial' service. If you take the extension of your ward and place the prefix '414' before it, the incoming call will go through directly to your ward. A list of hospital phone numbers is available here.

As mobile phones can cause life support and diagnostic equipment to malfunction, we ask you not to use your mobile phones in areas where you see signs requesting that your phones be switched off.

Volunteers
We have a group of volunteers who help in the Hospital. They are involved in running the coffee shop in the main entrance, and also help patients check-in for their appointments and find their way to the Clinic they are attending. For further information please click here

Patient Charges

2) Credit / Debit Cards on the 24 Hour Phone Line Telephone Number: 0818 917 001

3) Credit / Debit Card Payments are accepted on (01) 414 3697 between 10am and 12:30pm Monday to Friday

4) Cheque made payable to Tallaght University Hospital – Please put the patients hospital number and invoice number on the back of the cheque

5) Postal / Money Order made payable to Tallaght University Hospital. Please put the patients hospital number and invoice number on the back of the postal / money order before posting it to:
            Patient Accounts, Tallaght University Hospital, Tallaght, Dublin D24 NR0A

6) If you are in the Hospital and have your bill and bank card you can pay your bill at the reception desk in the main atrium.

If you have any questions about paying your hospital bill you can email AR@tuh.ie

Hospital Charges

Emergency Department: €100

Inpatient Charges
Private Patients Day Procedure: €407
Private Patients: Multi Occupancy Room: €813 per day
Single Occupancy Room: €1,000 per day

Charges for multi occupancy and single occupancy accommodation are recoverable from the following insurance schemes:

Infection Control

How You Can Help?
Preventing healthcare infections is a challenge for hospitals today.The Infection Prevention and Control Team (IPCT) play a key role in attaining this goal. If patients, visitors and staff adhere to correct infection prevention and control practices, then we can minimise or prevent the risk of transmission of infection to our patients, our visitors and our staff.

• Use alcohol hand gel/wash your hands
  Alcohol hand gel is provided at the entrance to the Hospital and is located on all wards and in clinical and outpatient areas of the Hospital. Please use the alcohol hand gel before entering and and leaving the Hospital. The gel should also be used before and after contact with the patient whom you are visiting. Hand hygiene must be attended to after coughing, sneezing, blowing nose and disposing of tissues.

However it is important for patients, visitors and staff to wash their hands with soap and water if they are soiled after visiting the toilet and if staff advise to do so.  If you have, or have had a health care associated infection in the past such as MRSA, please inform your admitting nurse or doctor.

• Is it ok to ask?
  We encourage patients to ask nurses, doctors and all health care workers if they have cleaned their hands before attending them, if they have not seen them do so.

• Do not clutter up your bedspace
  Patients should co-operate with the hospital cleaners when they want to clean around the bed-space, and keep belongings to a minimum.  Please only bring essential items into the hospital and keep them in the lockers provided. There is no storage facility for patients own food.  It is recommended not to bring perishables into the ward area

• Wearing shoes / slippers
  Wear slippers when walking around the wards. This keeps your feet clean so that bacteria cannot be transferred from your feet to the bed.

• Inform ward staff
  If you see any dirt,dust,clutter or untidiness either around your bed or in the toilets or bathrooms inform the ward staff. Tell staff immediately if your dressing becomes loose or a wound or intravenous drip site becomes sore or painful.

• Adhere to local Policies on visiting
  Keep visitors to a minimum – close friends and family only .Young children and babies should be discouraged from visiting where possible and only in circumstances when it is in the best interest of the patient or child to visit. Please adhere to the correct visiting times.

• Do not sit on beds
  Visitors should not sit on patients beds, chairs are provided for visitors.

• Isolation
  Patients with transmissible infections may be cared for in single rooms. The reasons for this should be explained to the patient by their doctor.

• Toiletries
  Patients should use their own toiletries and not borrow or lend to others. Patients may use their own disposable hand hygiene wipes.

• Let us know
  Patients are encouraged to report any problems or concerns relating to hospital issues. The clinical nurse manager (CNM) should then contact the infection prevention and control team if the patients concerns relates to Infection Control.

• Visiting Patients
  Visitors should visit the person they have come to see and not other patients. This will reduce the risk of transferring potentially harmful infections from person to person. If visitors feel unwell or have an infection they should not visit until they are feeling better.  They should be free of any symptoms (e.g. vomiting and diarrhoea) for 48 hours before they visit a patient. Visitors should not bring children with them who are ill, especially if they have recent history (within 48 hours) of diarrhoea and or vomiting, this is extremely important as vomiting and diarrhoea can pose a significant problem to patients.

• Reduce the risk of infection
  Patients and visitors must not touch patient’s wounds, bandages and dressings or medical equipment of any kind.

Please click here for further information on Infection Prevention & Control. 

My Medicines

The Zero Harm Patient Safety leaflet is part of a Tallaght University Hospital Zero Harm patient safety initiative, focussed on reducing medicine-related harm through innovation and public information.  

Adverse drug events can lead to profound and devastating effects on patients and their carers, in addition to prolonged and more intensive hospital care. Tallaght University Hospital is tackling this by focusing on a series of initiatives to help improve medication safety. This leaflet is part of that initiative, with the ‘My Medicines’ leaflet patients can document a list of their current medicines and supplements.

This is their record of their medicines. The record should be kept up-to-date and brought with them when attending Tallaght University Hospital or any healthcare appointment. If they become ill, they or a member of their family can bring this record to hospital. Please encourage your patients to use this leaflet and share with any family members or carers of patients you think might benefit from its use.

My Medicine Zero Harm Leaflet

My Medicine Zero Harm Leaflet - Additional space

What to Bring to Hospital

On Day of Admission:
Being admitted to a Hospital may seem daunting and make you feel anxious, however, the staff at Tallaght University Hospital are dedicated to your care and wellbeing please tell them if you are feeling anxious or having any questions.

What Do I Bring?
You will only need essential items, such as:

• Sleepwear
• Slippers
• Toiletries
• Any equipment used in your care (i.e., crutches, prosthetics, C-pap machine, hearing aids, eyeglasses, etc.)
• Medication
• You may want to bring some books / magazines to read during your stay
• A notebook and pen to keep a record of any questions you may have, keep note of information you have been given or a record of any follow up appointments you need to attend
• Private insurance or medical card details

Please Do Not Bring?

• Large sums of money
• Jewellery - If you are admitted without advance preparation, ask family members or friends to take your jewellery home.
• Other valuables - For safety reasons, electronics, laptops, iPods and iPads should not be kept in your possession while in the hospital.