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: 10 February 2023
Patients praise new service offering breast screening closer to home
A mammography screening service has opened at Oak Park Community Clinic in Havant as part of a programme at Portsmouth Hospitals University NHS Trust to offer patients a greater range of tests closer to home.
Pauline Broad was one of the first patients to use the new service at the clinic.
The 68-year-old from Waterlooville said: “Having attended there before the centre is easy to find and there is plenty of parking available. The premises were spotless and made me feel very safe.
“The signage was plentiful and access to Breast Imaging was clearly visible. On arrival I was greeted by a lovely radiographer, Ruth, who put me completely at ease and explained the procedure.
“Ruth was very caring and made me feel reassured, so the whole experience was very positive and I would not hesitate to use this service again.”
Oak Park Community Clinic is a satellite clinic that is part of the Community Diagnostic Centre programme in Portsmouth and south east Hampshire, which received a share of the £350 million national investment fund in 2021 to enable a larger capacity of tests and scans to help speed up diagnoses.
Wendy Rundle also attended a recent mammography scan at the clinic, which is close to Havant train station and local bus routes.
The 60-year-old from Havant said: “It was very close to my home and workplace so it was the perfect location for me. The staff were very friendly and professional and made me feel at ease.”
The service also offers improved accessibility for people with physical and learning disabilities, including additional extra-time clinics and ground floor access to the department.
Chris Evans, Chief Operating Officer at Portsmouth Hospitals University NHS Trust (PHU), said: “It is fantastic to see patients benefitting from having their mammograms closer to home.
“The Community Diagnostic programme means more accessible and convenient services for our patients.
“The additional capacity is supporting faster diagnosis whilst helping us to improve outcomes for people with cancer and other serious conditions in addition to avoiding people having to come to the hospital site."
Vicky Bremner, breast superintendent radiographer at PHU, added: “It is vital to offer women these tests to support early diagnosis of breast cancer and we have had such a great response to our new breast screening service in Havant.
“We know coming into hospital for screening can be more worrying for some people and having this clinic in a community setting helps support more people to come along and attend their mammography appointment.
“The additional-time clinics also mean we can provide extra support to our patients with physical and learning disabilities and having the department on the ground floor also gives easy access for them and any carers.”
The Community Diagnostic Centre programme also runs services at St Mary’s Hospital in Milton and Fareham Community Hospital, including blood tests, ultrasounds and audiology assessments.
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.
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.
Watch the virtual tour of the breast screening service at Oak Park Community clinic: Breast screening virtual tour
