It is a good idea to phone the hospital on the number on your appointment letter to make sure everything is ready for your arrival. You can also phone the admissions office or ward for advice if you get a cough or cold and are not sure whether you should come into the hospital.
Bring your admission letter with you. If you have any questions or concerns write them down and bring them with you to help remind you when you are in the hospital.
Make sure you read your admissions letter carefully and follow any instructions such as where to go when you arrive.
When you arrive at hospital go straight to the ward to be admitted. On the ward you will be welcomed by a member of the nursing team who will take your details and show you around the ward. All wards have an individual routine and this will be explained to you. Please ask the nursing staff if you have any questions about your stay.
Nursing uniforms
See our nursing uniforms guide to help you identify who is who during your stay in hospital.
Reducing the risk of catching or spreading infection
- Keep your hands and body clean: wash your hands with soap and water and alcohol gel before you eat a meal. If you cannot get out of bed, ask a member of staff for help cleaning your hands
- Always wash your hands after using the toilet: if you use a commode ask for a bowl of water to wash your hands afterwards. If you visit the bathroom or toilet and it does not look clean, report this immediately to the nurse in charge of the ward. Request it is cleaned before you use it, and use an alternative (if available) in the meantime
- Keep the top of your locker and bedside table free from clutter: too many things left on top make it difficult for the cleaning staff to clean properly. Your bed-area should be cleaned regularly. If you or your visitors see something that has been missed during cleaning, report it to the nurse in charge and ask for it to be cleaned
- Always wear something on your feet when walking around in hospital: a comfortable pair of slippers is fine, but make sure they have some grip on the bottom, as hospital floors can be a little slippery sometimes
Meals on the ward
It is important that you eat good food during your stay, which can give you the nutrients you need to get better.
We endeavour to deliver high quality hospital food, and cater for a range of diets and individual tastes. University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust (UHB) has won a number of awards for its food and prides itself on offering tasty dishes from all countries and cultures.
Please make sure you tell a member of staff on your ward if you have any particular dietary requirements.
Simple steps to keep you safe during your hospital stay
It’s understandable for people to feel anxious about coming to the hospital but keeping you safe is a priority for the staff looking after you.
There are also some simple things you can do to help keep yourself safe during your hospital stay, such as asking for help when needed, protecting yourself from slips and falls, and helping to prevent blood clots.
See the 'Simple steps to keep you safe during your hospital stay' video and leaflet on the NHS England website, which provides some tips to help keep you safe at hospital:
Rest and sleep in hospital
Some patients find it difficult to rest and sleep in hospital. Having other people around, noise from patients, or noise from machines on the ward, can make it very difficult to relax. Also, being in hospital can be very daunting and you may have worries about your care, treatment or things that are happening outside of hospital; perhaps related to family or your situation at home. Staff involved in your care will want to know if you have worries or concerns so they can help. You may just need some additional information or reassurance that will make you feel less worried. If you have any worries or concerns, please discuss them with a member of staff. If you need more support than this or need to speak to someone specific this can be arranged so, please don’t be afraid to ask.
If you are struggling to rest or sleep, please let the nursing staff know as they may be able to help. There are some suggestions on the following page that you may wish to try.
If light or noise is disturbing, you ask the nursing staff for a sleep kit. The kit contains an eye mask and a set of earplugs and is for single patient use. Please take them home and bring them in with you if you are a hospital inpatient again in the future.
Respect other patients needs to rest and sleep
Rest and sleep is such an important part of recovery so please be considerate of the needs of your fellow patients, especially if they choose to rest or sleep at different times to you.
When the main lights are turned out please turn your TV off or use the headphones provided. If you do not have a set of headphones, please either ask a member of the nursing team or the team from ‘Premier TV’ who will obtain a set for you.
Please talk quietly to other patients at nighttime. Talking with staff and other patients can help you to relax and make your stay a little more pleasant. If you are chatting to staff or patients, please be mindful of other patients who may be trying to rest or sleep.
Please keep noise and movement during the night to a minimum. If you need assistance to get to the bathroom or find something from your bedside locker during the night, please ask a member of staff to help.
Reducing noise from mobile phones
It is recognised that patients use their mobile phones whilst in hospital. For some this is an important part of keeping in touch with loved ones. If you do use your phone there are a few things you can do to reduce the risk of disturbing your fellow patients:
- Please switch your phone to silent, if you do make or receive a call, please try to do this out of earshot of other patients especially during the night
- If you do need to make or receive a call at the bedside, please keep the call time to a minimum and speak quietly
- If you need to speak at length, please ask a member of the nursing team whether there is somewhere private for you to do so
Top tips
- Ask for a milky drink or herbal tea. These are known to aid relaxation and sleep
- Avoid drinks containing caffeine. Caffeine is a stimulant so will be more likely to keep you awake
- Make sure you are not too hot or too cold. Nursing staff can provide extra blankets if needed, or remove them if you are too hot
- Make sure you are comfortable. If you are unwell or have had surgery, it can be difficult to find a comfortable position; please ask the nursing staff if you need assistance to get comfortable
- Try to use the toilet before you settle down for the night
- If you are in pain, please ask the nursing staff for pain relief. A survey carried out at this hospital showed that needing the toilet and being in pain are two of the main reasons patients have a disturbed night sleep
- Read for a while, listen to some relaxing music or try some relaxation exercises. Ask the nursing staff for the leaflet ‘Relaxation exercises to help you rest and sleep’
Further information
If you would like further information or would like to tell us about your experience; please contact the Patient Experience team.
If you would like to share feedback on your experience of rest and sleep during a stay in one of our hospitals, you can do so online.
Last reviewed: 24 March 2026