Before your operation

Before your operation, we will ask you to complete a pre-operative healthcare questionnaire. This is used to assess your fitness for surgery.

We will ask you to use a secure web-based application called Synopsis Home to fill in the pre-operative healthcare questionnaire at a time that is convenient for you, from the comfort of your own home.

You will need to register to Synopsis Home before you can complete the questionnaire.

Once you have completed and submitted the questionnaire, our pre-assessment nursing team will review your answers to find out if you need any further pre-assessment before your surgery.

Find out more more about:

Pre-operative assessment clinic at Orpington Hospital

Pre-operative assessment clinic at King’s College Hospital, Denmark Hill

Coming into hospital

Coming into hospital can sometimes be daunting. So to make things easier, we explain what you can expect during your stay. We aim to ensure that your stay at Princess Royal University Hospital (PRUH) is as comfortable as possible and that you receive all the care and support you need. Find out more information in our Welcome booklet.

When you arrive at the PRUH, please come to the main reception desk on level one, unless your admission letter asks you to report to another part of the hospital.

The receptionist will check and update your details and tell you which ward or department to go to.

What to bring with you

You will have a small locker next to your bed for your personal things. We suggest you bring:

• your admission letter
• any tablets or medicines you have been taking at home
• two sets of nightwear
• one or two sets of day clothes
• contact numbers for close relatives or friends
• toiletries, towel, flannel, razor and shaving materials
• tissues
• a small amount of money for things you might need while you are in hospital
• things to do in quiet moments, such as books, magazines, crosswords or an internet-enabled device to access our Wi-Fi, TV and entertainment (see below)
• the name, address and phone number of your GP (home doctor)
• walking aids or your wheelchair if you normally use them
• your diary, in case you need to arrange follow-up appointments

What not to bring with you

Do not bring valuables, jewellery or large sums of money into hospital with you. If you do, ask a relative to take them home for you or give them to the nurse in charge of your ward when you arrive.

We cannot accept liability for the loss of items that are not handed in for safekeeping.

Your medicines

We need to know about all the medicines you are taking, including ones you have been prescribed, any you have bought from a chemist or other shops, and any you take now and again. This will help us to give you the best care.

Please bring them with you so you can show them to your doctor, pharmacist or nurse when they come to see you on the ward.

Your medicines are kept with you at all times while you are in hospital. Your bedside locker will have a lockable section to safely store them and only your nurse or pharmacist can open it. If you move wards during your stay, your medications will be moved with you into your new bedside locker.

Sometimes, the medication you bring into hospital with you is no longer suitable for you when you leave. One of our pharmacists will check which medicines you still need so you can take them home with you.

Mobile phones

You can only use mobile phones in certain areas. Please ask the Ward Manager for more information.

Wi-Fi

Free patient Wi-Fi is available at Princess Royal University Hospital, Orpington Hospital, and King’s College Hospital. Patients and visitors can access the internet free of charge 24 hours a day.

To access the Wi-Fi, select the ‘NHS Wi-Fi’ network from your mobile, tablet or laptop. Accept the Terms and Conditions, and click ‘connect’. Patients and visitors accessing the Wi-Fi can use the service to find out information about the hospital, as well as use the internet more widely.

For further information, contact the Wi-Fi Helpdesk on 0344 848 9555.

TV and entertainment

We are proud to offer access to TV, magazines, games and more to all patients, visitors and staff, provided by King’s College Hospital Charity in partnership with WiFi SPARK.

Our entertainment portal is available at King’s College Hospital, Princess Royal University Hospital and Orpington Hospital.

After logging on to our guest Wi-Fi from any internet enabled device you will have access to*:

• live TV on BBC One, BBC Two, ITV, Channel 4 and Channel 5
• a variety of children’s channels in the children’s ward, including CBeebies and CBBC (some applications may require subscription)
• a range of radio stations including links to a variety of international stations
• a selection of digitised magazines from the last month including BBC Top Gear, Cosmopolitan, OK!, Beano, National Geographic and many more
• dementia friendly resources designed to stimulate and engage those patients who are living with dementia
• free video calling through the Visionable app
• information about our hospitals, King’s College Hospital Charity, and our events and donation page to stay up-to-date with our hospital activities

As well as this, you can continue to browse as normal using our hospital Wi-Fi. Please remember to bring a pair of earphones or headphones, a charger and your internet-enabled device to ensure you can fully enjoy the entertainment on offer.

Inpatients without a device can borrow tablets on our wards (see below).

*Please note: catch-up TV/on demand services including BBC iPlayer, ITVX, Netflix, Disney+, Spotify and others will be accessible via the new system but only to those with pre-existing personal subscriptions.

How to access the entertainment

1. Log on to our hospital Wi-Fi by going to the Wi-Fi settings on your device and selecting ‘NHS Wi-Fi’.

2. Once you are connected to the Wi-Fi, go into your browsing app, and visit ‘www.wifilounge.co.uk’.

This will take you to the entertainment hub where you will be able to access the selection of SPARK® Media entertainment options.

If you need help with accessing the system, there is a service desk available 24 hours a day, every day. To contact the service desk, call WiFi SPARK on 0344 848 9555 or email support@wifispark.com.

How to borrow a device

Any inpatient without their own device can borrow one. Devices can also be loaned to relatives of patients who are visiting patients for long periods of time, for example, parents with children in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. We are unable to loan devices to outpatients or patients in our Emergency Departments.

We have different age-appropriate devices for adults and children.

To loan a device from us, speak to any member of staff on your ward or reach out to our Volunteer Service at kch-tr.volunteers@nhs.net to submit a request. We will come to you or your family member or carer as soon as possible.

At the end of your stay, please return the device to the nurses’ station on your ward.