Before your stay

Below is a list of items to bring with you for your admission as an inpatient. These will be stored in a safe in your room and used to help the doctor to prescribe additional medication accurately. 

St. Vincent’s Private Hospital operates a Patient’s Own Drugs Scheme where patients will be dispensed their own medications during their stay. Any required additional medication will be supplied to you by the hospital pharmacy. If you are currently taking any medications, please bring the following with you on admission:

• All medications or remedies you are taking in the original pharmacy container
• Any high-tech medicine
• An up-to-date prescription list, if you have one

To ensure there is no interruption to your daily medication cycle, please supply all medication to the nursing staff on your ward. They will take responsibility for your medication during your stay in the hospital.

If you are attending the hospital under a private health insurance plan, we advise you to check details of your cover prior to admission with you health insurance provider to establish if there are any shortfalls or excesses on your personal plan.

If your cover requires you to pay an excess, if you are not fully covered, or if you don’t have health insurance, you will be asked to pay the relevant amount prior to your arrival. For further information please read the section on Billing and Insurance for help.

Please bring with you copies of any relevant information you may have e.g. x-rays, records, reports.

If you have special dietary, religious or disability requirements, please let us know in advance of your admission so that we can do everything possible to meet your needs.

Please do not hesitate to ask us for any help you need to make your stay more comfortable. It is important to us that you feel at ease in our care. 

The following is a checklist of items to include when packing your bag:

• Toiletries and personal care items
• Comb or hairbrush
• Toothbrush and toothpaste
• Nightwear, including dressing gown and slippers (non-slip)
• Glasses, contact lenses, hearing aid(s) and dentures (when you are here try to keep these in their protective containers when not in use to ensure that they do not become mislaid)
• Any mobilising aids you might need, such as a walking stick, crutches, frame or wheelchair

You will have ample wardrobe storage space in your room and there is no need to bring hand towels or bath towels, as these are provided.

St. Vincent’s Private Hospital does not accept responsibility for valuables, including money or jewellery. We encourage you to leave any valuables at home and to only bring a small amount of cash for sundry items that you might need to purchase during your stay.

Some patients will attend a Pre-operative Assessment Clinic (PAC) prior to admission. This clinic involves any tests and checks that might be needed prior to your surgery, so that when you are admitted there are no delays to your surgery.

The Pre-operative Assessment Clinic (PAC) is coordinated by a Clinical Nurse Manager and involves: Routine pre-operative tests including MRSA and other swabs, Anaesthetist assessment, Nursing assessment, Patient education and Discharge planning.

The PAC Nurse coordinates the tests, onward referrals and results follow-up. They will liaise with your admitting Consultant and Consultant Anaesthetists to keep them informed of any changes to your health which may impact your surgery.