What happens on the ward?

We have 26 beds on the ward, as well as an activity room for patients to use. We look after men and women, and can offer same-sex bays and side rooms.

Our ward is colour coded to help people with memory problems to find their way around, and each bed bay is a different colour.

Every patient has a named consultant leading their medical care. This is usually a medicine for older people consultant, also known as a geriatrician. They're supported by a team which includes older persons' practitioners, doctors in training and medical students.

Our older persons' mental health consultants, Dr Vicki Osman-Hicks and Dr Shehram Moghul, help manage and support care plans for patients with dementia. They work closely with the ward manager or senior nurse, Admiral nurse (specialist dementia nurse), senior discharge nurse, social worker and therapist.

We have two Admiral nurses, Jeni Gleeson and Jackie Petley, who can support you in caring for someone for dementia. You can meet with them, and they run a Carers' café in the hospital.

Patients can also be seen by the therapy team - occupational therapists, physiotherapists and therapy assistants. We have an activity programme based on the ward, including a music group with Guy, our housekeeper.

Meal times

• Breakfast is 8 to 9am.
• Lunch is 11.45am to 12.45pm.
• Dinner is 4.45 to 5.45pm

Tea and biscuits are served between meals.

Leaving the ward

When your family member doesn't need such a specialist level of care anymore, they may be transferred to a different medical ward in the hospital, discharged home or to a care home. A few patients need more intensive psychiatric care than our dementia ward can offer. In these cases, when they are in a stable condition, they may be moved to an older people's mental health ward in Southampton or Hampshire, provided by Southern Health NHS Foundation Trust.