Patient Information

Whether you are admitted to the hospital or taken care of as an outpatient, a range of staff might be involved in your care. All staff wear identification badges so you know who they are and what they do. Most staff can also be identified by the uniform they are wearing.

Health Professionals: 

You may meeting a variety of people during your time at the hospital.  You can ask the health professional looking after you who they are and what their role is.  The Health professionals below might be involved in your care.

• Doctors: Doctors at the hospital provide medical care in Emergency, wards and outpatient. They may perform surgery and procedures and communicate with your General Practioner who will continue your care after you have left the hospital.  They, along with other health professionals involved in your care will ask you about your health goals and do what they can to work towards them in partnership with you and your carers. There may be a team of doctors looking after you which could include senior doctors (consultants, specialists, surgeons and medical officers), specialised trainees (registrars) and junior doctors (residents or interns).

• Nurses: Nurses may wear pale blue striped shirts or dark blue shirts or colourful tops called ‘scrubs’. Nurses provide and coordinate your care. A nurse manager on each ward/department can discuss any concerns you may have during your stay. Nurse managers may wear a white shirt with stripes. Specialist nurses may help manage aspects of your care such as diabetes, continence, wound management or mental health concerns. In the birthing suite and maternity there are Midwives who specialist in birthing and infant care.

• Allied Health: Allied Health staff often wear a turquoise (teal) colour shirt. Allied health professionals include physiotherapists, occupational therapists, dieticians, speech pathologists, social workers and allied health assistants.  They will also help you with your health goals, support you after an operation or medical episode and are essential to your care.

• Other support staff who work at the hospital assisting patients and carers include interpreters, Patient Experience Officers and Aboriginal Liaison Officers.

Health support staff:

Health support staff work across all areas of the hospital to provide transport, cleaning, catering  and security.  Some Health Support staff wear a pale green (lime) shirt.

Administration staff

Administration staff wear a light  purple / mauve shirt. Administration staff work across many areas of the hospital. You may see them at the Information desk, service reception desks, at the cashier on working as ward clerk.

Volunteers

Volunteers at Maitland Hospital wear a pink shirt. Volunteers help support the hospital staff, patients and visitors in a variety of ways.  At Maitland Hospital you may see the Volunteers on the Ground floor providing directional assistance, helping with the self check-in kiosks  or offering support to those who need it. Volunteers helping with directional assistance wear a black sash  to indicate their role.

Patient Identification:  When you are admitted, an identification band will be put on your wrist or ankle. Please check that details on the band are accurate and wear it while you are in hospital. During your stay you will be regularly asked for your name and date of birth to confirm your identity.

Staff Identification:   Staff and volunteers throughout the hospital may wear uniforms as well as ordinary clothes. All staff wear an identification badge showing their name, photograph, and position. The staff directly involved in your care will introduce themselves and explain their role in your treatment.

Patient Safety

REACH

Patient Privacy:

NSW Health has a commitment to keeping patient information private. Staff follow the Health Records and Information Privacy Act 2002. They also abide by the NSW Health Privacy Policy and the Code of Conduct.

We collect your personal information so that we can provide appropriate care and treatment for you. We only collect information that is important and necessary for your care.

What to expect in hospital

Electrical appliances and Personal belongings: Electrical appliances, including mobile phones, laptops, chargers and hairdryers should be in good working condition and of low risk of injury to patients and others.

Staff cannot provide safe keeping of valuables so please consider keeping valuable items at home. Lost property can be handed in and recovered from the Security Office near the main entrance on Ground floor.

All belongings, especially glasses, dentures, and hearing aids, should be labelled clearly to ensure they are not misplaced. The Hospital cannot take responsibility for any items that are misplaced.

Students:  The Maitland Hospital encourages and supports the education, clinical experience and placements of both University and TAFE nursing and medicine students. The students work under close supervision at all times.

Hospital security is located at the Main Entrance of the hospital and also in Emergency.  To call for urgent assistance from a hospital phone dial 2222.

The volunteers of Maitland Hospital generously donate their time Monday to Fridays to assist all hospital staff in providing the upmost comfort and welfare for patients and their families. The volunteers undertake various non-clinical duties including:

• Guiding guests around the hospital.
• Providing patients with books or activities for during their stay.
• Washing clothes for patient with little to no external support.
• Arrange and water patient’s flowers.
• Provide tea, coffee, and water to patients in clinical areas.

If you would like assistance from a Hospital Volunteer, please let a staff member know.

If you are visiting the hospital and have individual needs, please click the following link to see how we can assist to ensure your visit is safe and as easy as possible.

For information on providing feedback in Hunter New England Health facilities click here.

The Maitland Hospital is a smoke-free health location. Please do not smoke within the Hospital or on Hospital grounds.

It is of great importance and priority that we keep your medical records safe and confidential for the purpose of your privacy and future health concerns. We only use your medical information to help with your treatment. We may need to send relevant information to your family doctor or your specialist doctor.

Unless you have opted out of the program, all Australians have received a ‘My Health Record’ by the Government. This is an online summary of your key health information. This information can be accessed from anywhere in Australia and includes an overview of your health, hospital discharge summaries, reports from tests and scans and referral letters from your doctors.

For more information go to MyHealthRecord.gov.au or call the Helpline on 1800 723 471.