Information » Health » Health Services » Hospitals
- NHS (National Health Service) hospital treatment is free in the UK
- Unless it is an emergency and you need to be treated in the Accident & Emergency department, you cannot walk into a hospital for treatment. You will usually be referred by a doctor
- Going to hospital can be a scary experience but the doctors and nurses are there to help you so don’t be afraid to talk to them and share any concerns
- There are some things you might want to think about taking with you if you are going into hospital, such as:
- Contact details of friends and family
- Any regular medicines
- Night wear
- Under wear
- Toiletries
- Books, magazines or puzzles
- Pen and paper
- Food or snacks (check with your doctor what you can and cannot eat)
- Contact details of friends and family
- As a hospital patient, you have certain rights including:
- Confidentiality
- Refusing to be treated by medical students
- Seeing your medical notes
- Having a second opinion
- Being referred to a specialist
- Refusing to take part in research trials
- Being informed about your health and all treatment options
- Having a friend or relative with you
- Having an interpreter or signer to help you
- Confidentiality
For a copy of the Patients’ Charter for Wales, write to:
The Health Department
National Assembly for Wales
Cathays Park
Cardiff
CF1 3NQ
029 20 825 111
