Current visiting times

We know how important it is for patients and families to be able to see visitors. Please help us keep our patients and staff as safe as possible by checking the guidance below before you visiting. 

Read more on visiting times...


Messages for loved ones and keeping in touch

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 Voluntary Services team can help pass on personal messages from family and friends.

Read more information about messages for loved ones…

Current visiting times

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...


Messages for loved ones and keeping in touch

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.

Read more information about messages for loved ones…

Our Strategy – Working Together, Improving Together

Our strategy sets out our vision, values, strategic aims and most importantly, how we will deliver against these ambitions for our patients, communities, and people in the future.

It is not just a document, it is for and about everyone at PHU, building on what we have achieved with a renewed focus on continuous improvement and the need to continue to work together and improve together to achieve our goals. 

A full copy of the strategy can be downloaded here.

For more information, please visit our strategy webpage.

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.

News

Portsmouth Hospitals University NHS Trust thanks public for support during critical incident

Date: 06 January 2023

Portsmouth Hospitals University NHS Trust is continuing to run the Queen Alexandra Hospital site in critical incident mode to protect patient safety due to an over-full hospital and Emergency Department. Like many areas across the country large numbers of people in the Portsmouth and South East Hampshire area require hospital or emergency care which has put extreme pressure on the hospital’s capacity.

 

Dr John Knighton, Medical Director, said “We are now on day nine of running our services in critical incident mode. This means we can prioritise urgent and emergency care, redeploy staff to the areas with the greatest need and treat additional patients in our wards and hospital spaces that we wouldn’t do normally. All of our staff are focused and committed to ensuring we can care for everyone who needs us as quickly and safely as possible.

 

“We would like to thank the local community, patients and their families for their patience and support. Your experience as a patient at PHU may not be up to standards that we aspire to, or you expect from us. However, we would like to reassure you that our clinical standards and patient safety will not be compromised.”

 

Due to the number of patients who continue to need the hospital, new patients who need hospital care and the large numbers of people arriving at the Emergency Department there is pressure on our bed capacity throughout the hospital. This means there are delays in admitting patient to our wards as quickly as we would like. A number of actions have been put in place to help including opening up additional beds, setting up a larger discharge lounge for patients ready to return home, redeploying staff to clinical areas and wards and ensuring our Same Day Emergency Care units are operational to care for people.

 

Liz Rix, Chief Nurse added “Patient safety is our top priority and our staff are doing everything they can to treat everyone as quickly and safely as possible. Volunteers have stepped up to help us feed patients, move patients to wards, and get water and drinks to ensure patients stay hydrated. And we are also working with our partners and teams in the community to avoid hospital admissions and find suitable accommodation and packages of care so people can return back to their home as soon as possible.”

 

Thank you to staff, patients, families and the wider community for your continued support and help.

 

How you can help

  • Only use the Emergency Department for life-threatening illnesses or injuries. Please use other services such as the Urgent Treatment Centres, NHS 111 online, your GP or pharmacy.
  • Please help us get patients home when they are ready. A list of key can actions can be found here - https://www.porthosp.nhs.uk/ready-to-go.htm
  • Treat our staff with kindness and respect. We are doing everything we can to care for you as safely and quickly as possible. 
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Get in touch

Queen Alexandra Hospital,
Cosham,
Portsmouth,
PO6 3LY

  • 023 9228 6000

© 2023, Portsmouth Hospitals University NHS Trust