Getting settled

We offer six wards for admissions, re-admissions and rehabilitation. We also have one of the UK's first dedicated children inpatient wards.

As a newly-injured patient you will usually be admitted to St Andrews Ward, where initial acute care and treatment is undertaken. If you have already started to get up (known as ‘mobilise’) whilst in a general hospital you may be admitted directly to one of our rehabilitation wards, but each case is assessed individually. 

Following a traumatic injury, you will need to spend an initial period in bed to allow the bones of your spine to knit and become stable. You may require an operation to stabilise the bones of the spine, in which case you will be able to get up quite quickly. However, the bed rest period varies. 

Whilst in bed, you will be turned at regular intervals during the day and night. This helps to prevent skin problems which can be caused by having sustained pressure on one part of the body for too long. This may seem inconvenient at first, especially at night, but it is an essential part of your care.

When you are ready to move to our rehabilitation floor, we will arrange an information meeting with you and your family or friends. This meeting provides an opportunity for our team to outline the rehabilitation process to you, as well as allow you to raise any queries or concerns.

We may also agree an estimated discharge date, which will help you to plan your future living arrangements (such as housing applications). This date can be extended if your needs change.