• All medications (or a list of your medications) including inhalers, drops, creams and injections, where possible. Please leave all controlled drugs at home.
• Night clothes
• Dressing gown
• Slippers (ones that fit securely so you are less likely to slip)
• Personal toiletries (soap, toothbrush, face cloths, shampoo, comb, hair brush and talcum powder)
• Bath and hand towel
• Soft drinks
• Reading material
• Tissues

• Spectacles and personal aids
• Denture pot and cleaner
• Sanitary towels or tampons
• Disposable razors
• Shaving cream
• A small amount of money for newspapers, etc.
• Baby clothes and other items necessary for baby care (disposable nappies, barrier creams, etc.)

Please avoid bringing valuables, such as jewellery and large amounts of money, into hospital with you. We cannot accept responsibility or liability for valuables brought onto hospital premises, unless they are handed to a member of the nursing team for safe custody and an official receipt is issued.

Your valuables are usually held in a central location in the hospital called the General Office. These are located on the 2nd floor of the Tower Block at Hull Royal Infirmary and at the main reception at Castle Hill Hospital. They are open weekdays between 9.00am and 4.30pm.

If you are discharged over the weekend, you may have to return to the hospital to collect valuables or money left with the General Office.

Your family or carer may want information about your care. Please ask them to speak to a member of staff caring for you, who can discuss this with your permission. It helps the staff if one person telephones for news about your condition and passes the information on to others. A direct dial number is available for most wards.

In most circumstances we do not allow the use of mobile phones in patient areas.

Our staff can inform you of areas where you can use a mobile phone.

The use of camera and video is strictly prohibited in patient areas.

You can make calls from one of our public pay phones. Please ask a member of staff for the nearest pay phone.

National and local calls cost 40p for the first 20 minutes and 10p for 10 minutes thereafter.

Call costs to mobiles, other networks and international destinations may vary.

Most beds in hospital have a Hospedia bedside TV, phone and entertainment system to help make your stay as comfortable as possible.

Patients can make free outbound calls from their bedside unit to numbers starting 01,02,03 and mobiles at all times, as well as enjoying TV for free between 8.00am-12.00pm, however further charges apply for other services.

Please note Hospedia’s charging structure below:

You can visit the Hospedia website for further information about their services.

There is a choice of food for all your main meals, including a vegetarian selection. We cater for any special dietary needs you may have, including religious or ethnic diets.

If you follow a medically prescribed diet, please tell a member of the nursing team on arrival.

• Breakfast is served from 7.45am
• Lunch is served from 12.00pm
• Dinner is served from 5.00pm

We would prefer visitors not to bring food into the hospital.  We are unable to store patient food in the hospital refrigerators.

Voluntary workers visit the wards with a selection of sweets, toiletries. etc. for you to purchase.