Preparing for your admission or surgery

It is important you follow your doctor’s advice for what to eat and drink prior to your procedure, surgery and admission.

Check with your doctor whether you should take your regular medication on the morning or week prior to your procedure, surgery or admission. Please contact your doctor immediately if you are too unwell to have your procedure or surgery.

To assist you getting to and from the hospital you may wish to arrange a family member or support person to help you on the day of your procedure or hospital admission.

Following your procedure or hospital admission you may wish to arrange with a family member or support person to stay with you, or regularly check in with you for a few days after you go home.

What should I bring with me?

If you are staying overnight, we suggest you bring a small bag with comfortable clothing, sleepwear and personal toiletries.

Please also bring:

• All medications you are currently taking and the dosage information
• Copies of your X-rays and pathology tests relevant to your procedure
• Any forms, notes, reports, or letters from your doctor
• Your Medicare card, Pension card, DVA or concessional card if relevant
• Private Health Insurance card (if you have one)
• General Practitioner (GP) contact details
• Comfortable loose clothing and footwear (with non-clip soles)

Please do not bring your valuables with you. The hospital is not responsible and cannot reimburse you for lost property.

Checking in

Please check in for your procedure at The Perioperative Unit, (TPU), RPA. 

The Perioperative Unit is on Level 3 Main of the Main Building of the Hospital. 

There is a separate entry and drop off point via Gloucester House Drive. 

The TPU is location 77 on the RPA Map. 

When you arrive, our staff will confirm:

Your contact details, medical history, medication history, your next of kin contact details, your GP contact details and check to make sure you have signed a consent form.

During Your Stay

We want you and your support person to be involved in decisions about your care. We encourage you and your support person to ask questions. You can request to speak with your medical, nursing, or allied health teams at any time during your stay.

REACH

If you are worried about a recent change in your condition or someone you care for, you can use REACH to escalate your concerns if no one seems to be noticing.
Find out more

Rooms

Most wards at RPA have four- bed bays. There are a limited number of single rooms. Single rooms are prioritised based on clinical need. Any remaining single rooms are allocated to private patients.

Telephones and television 

A telephone is available at every patient bedside. To make a call from your bedside telephone, you will need to purchase a $10 phone card. The phone card can be purchased from the Cashier located on Level 5 (street level) of the main hospital. Public telephones are available throughout the hospital. You can hire a television during your stay with us. Please ask our staff to assist in arranging this service for you.

Mobile phone and other personal electronic devices

As mobile phones may interfere with electronic medical equipment, we ask you and your visitors please keep your use of these to a minimum in the hospital. Please observe signs and staff instructions when using your mobile phone and other personal electronic devices.

Free Wi-Fi

We offer free guest Wi-Fi internet to all patients and visitors.

To connect, go to the Wi-Fi settings of your device and select "SLHD-Guest" 

Agree to the terms and conditions in your browser. You will be automatically connected.

Please note, limits and usage conditions apply.

Interpreter Services

We provide free and professional face to face and telephone interpreting services within our hospital. These services are available 24 hours a day and 7 days a week. Interpreters are available in most community languages, as well as Auslan. Please let our staff know if you require an interpreter.

Meals

During your hospital stay you will be offered a variety of meal choices based on your dietary needs and medical condition.

We ask that you do not eat food if you are “nil by mouth” for a test or procedure. If you are not sure, please check with your nurse.

Sometimes friends or family may like to bring food or drinks in for you.

Going home

Going home, or planning your discharge should start on the day you are admitted to hospital or in the Pre-Admission Unit. In some cases, you may require continuous care in another hospital such as recovery care or rehabilitation.

To ensure there are no delays to your discharge, please talk to your care team looking after you about what day they think you will be discharged. Knowing this date will allow you to organise transport as well as any extra help you might need when you go home. We anticipate that you will be leaving the hospital by 10am.

Make sure any follow up appointments you need have been booked and you have been given a date and time for them.

On your day of discharge, you may be transferred to the Transit Lounge while we prepare your discharge paperwork and any medications you might require. Here you can also wait in a comfortable place for your private transport home. While you wait in the Transit Lounge, you will receive the same high-quality care and attention that you received on your ward.

Medications