Inpatient Ward
There is flexibility for visiting throughout the day.
Following feedback from women and their families, we ask visitors to respect the visiting times noted below to help with family bonding time.
Visiting times
- 10am to 2pm: Partner or named visitor
- 2pm to 4.30pm: General visiting
- 4.30pm to 5.30pm: Partner or named visitor and siblings
- 5.30pm to 8pm: General visiting
- 8pm to 9pm: Partner or named visitor
Please ask your visitors to wait patiently for admission to the ward area at the designated visiting hours. Buzzing before visiting times takes staff away from providing direct care to you and your baby. For details of visiting hours in other departments, you should check with the midwife in charge, as visiting may be limited to the birth partner only.
If any of your family or friends are unwell, are suffering from a heavy cold, or any other infectious illness, they should not visit the hospital. All visitors should wash their hands before touching your baby, and you should continue this practice when you go home.
To ensure the security of the building, the main entrance doors are locked at 10pm each evening by the porter. As an additional measure, patients and resident partners cannot enter or exit the building after this time.
Public transport
There is a regular bus service that stops at University Hospital Crosshouse main entrance.
Car parking: drop off and pick up zone
The purpose of this area is to enable drivers to drop off women attending for assessment, admission, or who are in labour between the hours of 7am and 10pm.
It is also where mothers and babies can be collected when discharged from the hospital.
There is a maximum stay time of 20 minutes. Stays longer than this will incur a fixed parking fine from Ayrshire Roads Alliance.
Brambles Café
Brambles Café is open Monday to Friday. Refreshments and a selection of light snacks are available to purchase. Vending machines are available outwith opening hours within the sitting area. Canteen facilities in University Hospital Crosshouse are also open to visitors.
Parent and child room
Child changing facilities and a separate feeding room are provided on the upper floor next to Brambles Café.
Mobile phones
The use of mobile phones is discouraged within the maternity unit building. Mobile phones may affect patient monitoring equipment and can be disruptive to other service users. Should you choose to film, please restrict this to your baby and immediate family with the sound feature not in use. Please be considerate of others.
Patientline
Patientline provides communication and entertainment facilities to your bedside including:
- telephone
- TV
- radio
- internet
- a selection of games
There is a cost to use this service. If you choose not to use Patientline, there is a coin-operated public phone available within the main entrance area.
Smoking
Smoking is not allowed within the hospital grounds.
As of 5 September 2022, the Scottish Government has introduced a law that makes it an offense to smoke within 15 meters of an NHS hospital building. This includes awnings, canopies, or any other overhanging structure, even if they are further than 15 meters from a hospital building.
Anyone found to be smoking within the no-smoking perimeter will be asked to stop right away. Please do so and remain courteous to those reminding you of the no-smoking law. The no-smoking law benefits everyone by keeping hospitals free from health-harming hazards.
Before leaving the maternity unit to smoke, we will ask you to sign a disclaimer form. Please note there is no access from the building overnight after 10 pm for the purpose of smoking. Please advise your visitors of the information above around smoking.
Chaplains and spiritual support
The unit is visited by chaplains from various denominations. They are available at any time if a special visit is requested. Your own spiritual advisor is also welcome to visit.
Valuables
Please do not bring large amounts of money or valuables into the hospital. If you are unable to leave them at home, please hand them to the midwife, who will arrange for their safekeeping and provide you with a receipt.
NHS Ayrshire & Arran cannot accept responsibility for the personal property and valuables of patients unless they are handed in for safekeeping and an official receipt is obtained.
Lost property
All lost property is handed in to the Security Office, where a register is kept of all items handed in. Any property still unclaimed after one week is passed on to the local police.
Travelling expenses
Providing that you did not travel to the hospital by ambulance, you can claim a refund of your travel fares if you either:
- receive Income Support, income-based Jobseeker Allowance, income-based Employment Support Allowance, Universal Credit
- have HC2 or HC3 certificates
If you receive Family Tax Credit, you may also be entitled to a refund of your travel fares. To confirm this, you will be required to:
- present your award letter from the Department of Work and Pensions
- provide any bus and train ticket receipts if applicable
We can also reimburse any claims made under the Young Persons Family Fund.
Donations
We are always pleased to accept financial donations for our endowment funds. These are used to enhance and improve the quality of care within wards and departments.
Staff charter
NHS Ayrshire & Arran pledges to treat patients with dignity and respect, and staff also have the right to be treated with dignity and respect. Violence in any form, including the use of foul language towards staff, will not be tolerated. NHS Ayrshire & Arran will support staff who wish to pursue legal action where it is appropriate.
Enquiries about patients
We realize your family and friends will want to inquire about your progress while you are in the hospital. However, we appreciate if you ask one relative or friend to telephone, then to communicate any news to your family and friends. Your well-wishers can, of course, use Patientline to contact you directly if you choose to use the facility.
Feedback, comments, concerns or complaints
If you wish to provide feedback, comment, express a concern, or file a complaint, please speak to any member of staff or ask to speak with the person in charge of the ward or department. They will discuss the matter with you.
You can also ask to speak to the Maternity Unit Coordinator or, if the matter remains unresolved, you can contact the Customer Care and Complaints Department via:
- Telephone: 01292 513620 or freephone 0800 169 1441
- Email: complaintsteam@aapct.scot.nhs.uk
- Mail: Customer Care and Complaints Department, NHS Ayrshire & Arran, PO Box 13, Eglinton House, Ailsa Hospital, Dalmellington Road, Ayr, KA6 6AB
You can also share your comments about the services we provide via the independent not-for-profit organisation Care Opinion (formerly Patient Opinion).
Access to health records
Under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) 2018 Act, patients have the right of access (with certain exemptions) to their health records.
Should you wish access to your record, you must make a formal request in writing. Application forms and guidelines are available from:
- Legal Department, Health Records Department, University Hospital Crosshouse, KA2 0BE
- Telephone: 01563 827076
Medical records and confidentiality
Details of your medical care will be recorded for the purpose of your present and future medical treatment.
We may use this information for research purposes and to indicate the kind of health service which patients require. The information will also be used for purposes of accounting in the NHS. Some information will be processed on a computer.
At all times, we take great care to ensure that high standards of confidentiality are maintained in respect of all information held.
Electronic whiteboard
A new development within the maternity unit is the use of the electronic whiteboard. The board displays the names of women who are currently in the ward/department. The purpose of this is to aid patient flow and communication between departments. You will be asked for your consent for your name to be displayed on this.
Contact
Please note the following contact details:
- Maternity Assessment Unit: 01563 825300
- Maternity Infant Feeding Team: 01563 825483
- Ayrshire Maternity Unit Reception: 01563 825411