Patients needing additional support and carers
We're committed to ensuring that our patients can access the care they need and that any additional requirements are met, particularly when preparing for a visit to hospital. We are able to assist patients who may have additional needs to better enable access to their healthcare in a safe and supportive environment.
If you need extra support in hospital, or care for someone who does, these pages are for you. Use the links below to find out more about the support we can offer.
Carers Strategy 2021-2023
Carers often face barriers when accessing health and social care services. We recognise that our Trust has an important role in ensuring that carers in our region have these barriers removed and can access and receive care and services in an appropriate, enabling, and supportive way. Our carers strategy, which is below, sets out how we will achieve this:
Accessibility guides to our hospitals
We recognise the importance of ensuring every patient is able to access the world-class healthcare that is delivered here.
We have recently teamed up with AccessAble to produce a series of accessibility guides for each of our hospitals.
These guides allow patients and carers with a disability to plan their visit, identify potential barriers and understand what support is on offer.
To view these guides, visit the AccessAble website or select ‘Find somewhere in the hospital’ on the web assistant.
You can also contact our patient and family support hub with queries by calling 0800 484 or emailing PFSH@uhs.nhs.uk (open 9.30am to 4pm, Monday to Friday).
Visual guides
We have created some visual guides for our hospital services. These visual supports help display information through images and symbols and can be used to walk you through a scenario.
The patient and family support hub
The patient and family support hub is a volunteer led team offering practical and emotional support for patients, families, and carers during their visit to University Hospital Southampton. We are a calm and friendly centre in the hospital where you can come and have a cup of tea and some quiet space, or a chat with one of our volunteers. For more information about our services, please visit the patient and family support hub page.
We also offer free, personalized sunflower lanyards for UHS patients with hidden or other disabilities and their carers. To request a sunflower lanyard call us on 0800 484 0135 or email PFSH@uhs.nhs.uk. If you are not a patient of University Hospital Southampton, please visit the national Hidden Disabilities website for more information.