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.
Last updated: 13 September 2021
Veteran naval petty officer and a former member of the Manchester City Ladies team, amputee Janet Riddell, is now supporting other patients going through similar rehabilitation.
Prior to being injured during a tour of duty with the Royal Navy in Iraq and badly damaging her knee, Janet had played football for 15 years and represented Manchester City and the Royal Navy ladies’ teams amongst others. Due to the injuries she sustained, and after 18 and a half years of service, Janet was medically discharged in 2008.
After several corrective and reconstruction operations, Janet was faced with the decision to continue with ongoing surgery or amputation. Janet chose amputation and hasn’t looked back. Singing the praises of the Portsmouth Enablement Centre, where she underwent rehabilitation and took up the opportunity to take part in research to improve her recovery.
The centre, run by Portsmouth Hospitals University NHS Trust (PHU) is based at St Mary’s Community Health Campus and provides a regional prosthetic service to adults, children and veterans, living in Portsmouth and across Hampshire, as well as some areas of West Sussex. With facilities to manage specialised prosthetic rehabilitation, the Portsmouth Enablement Centre is one of 40 similar centres across the UK, including one of nine enhanced veterans care centres.
Janet has taken part in several studies to help improve her and other amputee’s experiences. As a co-applicant on a patient participant and involvement (PPI) project funded by the University of Southampton, Janet was able to get involved and share her experiences of using a prosthetic device and help provide an understanding of how she felt about the current design of her limb, as well as suggestions for future improvements.
Janet also took part in a usability study with Radii Devices to understand how computer aided design might help to make a better fitting prosthetic socket for her. Since then, Janet has gone onto work with Radii on a few occasions which resulted in her being the first person to have her socket made using their newly developed system.
As well as her PPI work, Janet has also been involved in research studies that have taken place at the Portsmouth Enablement Centre. An advocate for patient experience, Janet gives her time generously to support the centre as one of the patient representatives and regularly contributes to PHU’s service improvement work by attending listening events and helping to co-ordinate a patient user group.
With the support from Veterans UK who helped pay for a specialised waterproof prosthetic leg, Janet has gone onto help establish a community enablement group for patients attending the enablement centre and now supports amputees to achieve their goals and take part in activities such as swimming, cycling, dog walking and sailing.
Janet said: “I cannot thank the Portsmouth Enablement Centre enough. Their time and energy has enabled me to embrace life and take up so many opportunities. As branch secretary for the local British Limbless Ex-Service Men’s Association (BLESMA) in Portsmouth, and welfare volunteer for the South of England, I regularly volunteer to visit veterans who are unable to venture outdoors, including new amputees undergoing early stages of their rehabilitation.
“As a military veteran and amputee, I’m able to offer my knowledge and experience and encourage them to take up the many opportunities on offer to them.”
