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: 15 July 2022
A fourth dose booster study evaluating a new COVID-19 vaccine to target the Omicron variant is launching in Portsmouth.
The new study will take place at the Portsmouth Research Hub in Portsea, run by Portsmouth Hospitals University NHS Trust, with around 30 local volunteers needed to take part.
This latest research is part of the COV-BOOST trial led by University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust (UHS), which provided the world’s first data on the safety, immune responses and side-effects of different COVID-19 vaccines when given as a third dose in mix and match schedules.
Funded by the Vaccine Taskforce (VTF) and the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR), the COV-BOOST trial was key to shaping the UK’s 2021 autumn booster programme and continues to provide vital evidence for global vaccination efforts.
Half of the volunteers taking part in the study will receive a 4th booster dose of Moderna’s new bivalent vaccine, which has been designed to target both the original and Omicron variants of COVID-19. The other half will receive a 4th booster dose of Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine, which was designed to target the original COVID-19 variant.
Volunteers will be randomly allocated to each arm of the study and will not know which jab they receive. The study is looking to evaluate the immune responses and safety of the new bivalent jab.
The study is open to people living in and around Portsmouth who have:
Volunteers must also:
The study, which will recruit a total of 200 volunteers from 6 research sites across England, will last up to 8 months. During this time, volunteers will be monitored for any potential side effects and will attend 5 research site visits.
Volunteers will be provided with reimbursement of up to £225 for their time, inconvenience and travel, depending on the total number of study visits they attend.
Anyone interested in taking part can visit the study’s website to find out more and complete a questionnaire to check if they’re eligible: www.covboost.org.uk/participate-bi
Linda Harndahl, Research Hub Project Manager at the Portsmouth Research Hub said:
“We’re excited to be supporting another COVID-19 vaccine trial here at the Portsmouth Research Hub, this time looking at the safety and effectiveness of Moderna’s new bivalent vaccine targeting both the original and Omicron variant.”
“We’re looking for volunteers aged 30 and over, living in and around Portsmouth, to take part in the trial. If you received your third dose of a COVID-19 vaccine at least three months ago, you may be eligible to take part.
“This trial provides another exciting opportunity for the people of our city to support vital COVID-19 research. None of the research that we have supported throughout the pandemic would have been possible without our volunteers, who have so generously given up their time to support our work.
“We’d encourage anyone interested in finding out more and getting involved in our latest study to visit the website and sign up.”
Professor Saul Faust, Chief Investigator of the COV-BOOST trial and Director of the NIHR Southampton Clinical Research Facility (CRF) at University Hospital Southampton, said:
“In the UK, the different Omicron coronavirus variants are now the most common causing COVID-19. Due to mutations on the spike protein, they are more capable than previous variants of evading the immune response generated by existing COVID-19 vaccines.
“With this important new study, we want to determine the side effect profile, safety and immune responses of Moderna’s new bivalent vaccine, which targets both the original and Omicron variants of COVID-19, compared to Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine, when used as a fourth booster dose.
“We are looking for 200 volunteers, aged 30 and over, across England to help us with the next phase of the COV-BOOST trial. Throughout the pandemic, the public have continued to step forward and support our research and we cannot thank them enough for giving up their time. I would encourage anyone interested in our latest trial to visit www.covboost.org.uk/participate-bi to find out more and sign up.”
