After suspending visiting earlier in the year, we are now able to offer limited visiting to some wards at the discretion of the nurse in-charge.”
Read more on visiting times...
We recognise the impact that a long stay in hospital can have on families and the importance of maintaining strong communication. Our ward staff are keeping in touch with patients’ next of kin directly and our Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS) can help pass on personal messages from family and friends.
After suspending visiting earlier in the year, we are now able to offer limited visiting to some wards at the discretion of the nurse in-charge.”
Read more on visiting times...
We recognise the impact that a long stay in hospital can have on families and the importance of maintaining strong communication. Our ward staff are keeping in touch with patients’ next of kin directly and our Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS) can help pass on personal messages from family and friends.
The Queen Alexandra Hospital is located just on the hill slopes of Portsdown Hill overlooking Portsmouth. It is conveniently situated for both the M27 and A3M.
Family members and carers play an important role in supporting patients during an episode of ill health. We are committed to the active involvement of family members, friends and carers during a hospital stay. Family members and carers play an important role in supporting patients during an episode of ill health.
More information on visiting hospital for an appointment.
If you've had experience of using our services and would like to make a comment then please contact the Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS). Your views are very important to us and we would like to hear where you think improvements are needed or where things have gone so well that you would like to share your thanks or gratitude with the staff involved. When things have not gone so well then you can be sure that we want to hear from you, so please get in touch with PALS.
During your stay in hospital you will meet a number of different members of staff. All members of staff wear name badges, but if you are not sure who someone is or what they do, please feel free to ask them to introduce themselves and explain what they do.
If you have any questions about your treatment, please ask a doctor or a nurse.
There are lots of opportunities for you to get involved with the Trust, from volunteering to attending our public meetings, our Annual General Meeting or our hospital open day which is held every year.
We welcome and value your feedback and use the views you share with us in a number of ways to learn and make improvements as well as sharing best practice. Feedback can be provided in a number of ways.
Date: 29 October 2021
Patients in Portsmouth and south east Hampshire will benefit from a greater range of tests closer to home, thanks to the development of a community diagnostic centre at St Mary’s Hospital in Milton.
The centre forms part of local NHS plans, following the region securing a share of a £350 million national investment fund, which will also see satellite clinics at Fareham Community Hospital in Sarisbury Green and Oak Park Community Clinic, Havant.
The centres will offer a larger range of tests and scans to increase capacity and speed up diagnoses, with GPs able to refer patients directly to the centre, from next year, for faster access to tests, rather than them having to come to hospital.
It means people will be able to be diagnosed, and therefore start treatment sooner, for serious conditions like cancer and heart problems.
New testing facilities will include mammograms, blood tests, ultrasound scans and heart monitoring.
The services, which are being led by Portsmouth Hospitals University NHS Trust, will go live over the course of the next few months.
Once fully operational, it is expected the services will see 1,370 patients per week, helping to ensure they receive a diagnosis and any required treatment more quickly.
Chris Evans, chief operating officer, said: “We are really excited about the development of our community diagnostic programme. It means more accessible and convenient services for our patients, it will help us to improve outcomes for people with cancer and other serious conditions while avoiding people having to come to hospital."
The centres form part of a national NHS England and NHS Improvement programme to help accelerate recovery from the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on routine diagnostic testing and were also one of the recommendations from Professor Sir Mike Richards, the first NHS national cancer director, who conducted a review of diagnostic services as part of the NHS Long Term Plan.
Dr Elizabeth Fellows, Clinical Chair of Portsmouth NHS Clinical Commissioning Group, said: "This is great news for residents in the Portsmouth and south east Hampshire area who will be able to access life-saving checks, scans and tests without the need to attend QA.
“It's more convenient for patients, a more efficient way of working, and will help us to diagnose cancer and other serious conditions as quickly as possible to help save more lives."
For patients booked in for a test, please double check the location details on your invite letter when you receive it. Please contact the number on your appointment letter if you are unsure.
