REMEMBER - you are a CUSTOMER OF THE NHS so have your SAY IN YOUR TREATMENT ! The law should help to PROTECT YOU. It can feel scary but the more you know, the better it should be. So TAKE CONTROL ! DO ⬇️ REFER to the below throughout (letters, meetings, conversations ..). The list is not exhaustive however below are some useful starting points: NHS Constitution (GOV) - LINK Patient Rights (Age UK) - LINK Equality Act 2010 (GOV) - LINK Martha's Rule (NHS) - LINK Mental Capacity Act 2005 (Mind) - LINK Human Right's Act 1998 (Citizen's Advice) - LINK Disability Law Service (DLS) - LINK Mental Health Act 1983 (NHS) - LINK Care Act (CQC) - LINK DO ⬇️ ASK to read your medical notes / observations while you are there. Check any process for Deprivation of Liberty Safeguard (DoLS) - LINK DoLs support safety for people in care homes and hospitals while not taking away their rights.

The hospital will have a list of QUESTIONS when you arrive . DO ⬇️ Let them know YOUR NEEDS: Identity - need cards. Medication - inhaler / allergy pens. Communicate - sight / hearing / speech. Language - main spoken. Enable - learning difficulties / disabilities/ mental capacity. Allergies Personal - privacy needs. Previous wishes - Advance Decisions - LINK / Organ Donation - LINK Care - existing care plans / carers to be with you. National Insurance Number (GOV) - LINK NHS Numbers (NHS) - LINK Going to Hospital (NHS) - LINK

A&E: Minor Injuries and Major / Resuscitation departments. STAFF: Colour coded by uniforms (Pact Medical) - LINK Examples are Nurses, Surgeons, Radiology, Support Staff, Students. A-Z Health Professionals (Net Doctor) - LINK DO ⬇️ ASK anything - they are people to so don't be scared to speak up and ask !

EQUIPMENT Staff may take your 'OBSERVATIONS' with MONITORS to check: Blood Pressure Pulse Respiratory Oxygen HOW TO READ A MONITOR (WIKI) - LINK TESTS Staff may take tests for more indepth information Bloods (NHS) - LINK + LINK Medical Images X-rays, CT Scan, MRI (GOV) - LINK ECG (British Heart Foundation) - LINK Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) - LINK Patient Info - LINK BEDS are usually split by curtains in shared area.

DO: ⬇️ ASK EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO, YOU ARE THE CUSTOMER AND HAVE A RIGHT TO KNOW EVERYTHING ! WHO ? is the doctor in charge of me / my main contact during my stay in A&E? WHAT ? is wrong with me? will happen next? is the equipment for? could go wrong with me? are my treatment options? WHY ? am I being observed or admitted? HOW ? is pain controlled? long is recovery? WHEN ? will things happen? will I be called if anything changes? WHERE ? is there a private area to talk? is there any place nearby to stay at night? is there any place to wait besides the waiting room? are there facilities for food and drink?