NHS FIFE
PRIMARY CARE DIVISION
WARD 3
STUDENT INFORMATION
BOOKLET
Dear
As you will be coming to work in Ward 3, I am writing to welcome you and offer
some information about the ward, which I hope you will find helpful.
For the duration of your placement in the ward I will be your mentor and will work at
least 50% of the time with you although in reality we will work most shifts together. I
will be on duty for your first day and we will be able to spend time discussing your
placement and the aims and objectives you hope to achieve. I would hope to be able
to meet with you formally for at least ½` hour per week during which time we will
look at your placement booklet.
Your off duty for the first week is:
Mon
Tues
Wed
Thur
Fri
Sat
Sun
The off-duty is fairly flexible and we will try and accommodate any particular
requests for shifts you may have.
The shift patterns are:
Early shift - 7.30 am - 4.00 pm
Late shift - 12.30 pm - 9.00 pm
Early half - 7.30 am - 1.00 pm
Your study leave entitlement will be discussed when you start in the ward.
Please note that uniforms are worn in the ward.
I hope you will find time to read the enclosed information. If you have any queries, or
would like to arrange a visit to the ward prior to commencing, then please feel free to
contact me.
I look forward to meeting you.
Yours sincerely
THE MENTAL HEALTH UNIT
T
he Mental Health Unit within the Queen Margaret consists of 4
wards and 3 day Hospitals.
 Ward 1 is an admission/assessment ward for people over 65 with
mental health problems. It caters for people who have both functional
and organic illnesses.
 Ward 2 is an admission ward for people under 65 with acute mental
health problems.
 Wards 3 & 4 offer long term care to people over 65 who suffer from
dementia.
 Forthview Day Hospital caters for people over 65 with functional and
organic illnesses who are living at home. It is primarily an assessment
unit.
 Townhill Day Hospital caters for people over 65 who have dementia
and continue to live at home. Its main function is to offer respite for
carers.
 Hillview Day Hospital aims to provide a service which meets the
individual mental health needs of the under 65 population, to enable
them to regain optimum level of functioning within their communities.
WARD 3
W
ard 3 has 24 beds and there is usually 12 males and 12 females
although this is flexible depending on the demand on the beds at
any one time.
The ward has 3 six-bedded bays and six side rooms. Two of the bays are
for males and one for females. The side rooms are predominantly used
for females.
There is a dining room in the middle of the ward where most of the
patients have their meals. There is a large sitting room at one end of the
ward, a small seating area in the middle and a garden area with benches
at the other end.
The majority of admissions to the ward come via ward one where they
have been assessed as requiring long term hospital care. A number of
admissions come directly from nursing/residential homes who are
finding that the patient is becoming difficult to manage in their particular
setting. A small number of admissions come directly from home but this
is quite rare.
We have one respite bed that is used for people who require long term
hospital care (or will do in the near future) but are remaining in their own
home at present. These patients come in for short periods (- usually 2
weeks but presently we have one who stays every weekend) to give their
carers a break and to get both patient and carer used to the ward and the
staff. We have found that this makes the transition from home to hospital
easier for all concerned.
NURSING CARE
T
he nursing care is delivered on an individual basis. All of the
trained nurses are responsible for the assessment, planning,
implementation and evaluation of the nursing care of a small group
of patients. They are also responsible for patient documentation.
The Senior Charge Nurse is not allocated to a group but is there to offer
advice and support to other trained staff. This enables the senior charge
nurse to remain aware of the needs of all the patients in the ward.
All staff are responsible for the general day to day care of the patients
and to ensure that all their needs are met. Staff are also responsible for
ensuring the patients have an adequate supply of clothing, toiletries etc.
This system of delivering nursing care ensures continuity is maintained;
staff have a greater knowledge of their patients; staff are more
accountable and it also leads to greater job satisfaction.
WARD 3
PHILOSOPHY OF CARE
The staff in ward 3 are committed to providing a high standard of
holistic nursing care, which encourages and promotes each individual to
achieve their optimum level of independence within a safe environment.
Patients and relatives will be involved in the care process wherever
possible allowing an informed choice and promoting empowerment.
The staff will act as the patients advocate and will provide support for
relatives.
The staff will treat people with dignity, respect and confidentiality,
recognising each person’s strengths as well as meeting their emotional,
psychological, social, spiritual and physical needs.
We are committed to ensuring our high standards of nursing care are
maintained by providing opportunities for staff to update knowledge and
skills.
We are constantly evaluating the standards of care in the ward ensuring
our continuous high quality is maintained.
Revised November 2006
WARD 3
CODE OF COURTESY
All staff will endeavour to promote a supportive, professional and
courteous environment for themselves.
This can be achieved by:
 demonstrating consideration and sensitivity to the feelings of others
 communicating in an open, honest and sincere manner
 Giving criticism in a positive and constructive manner. Negative
criticism achieves nothing
 praising your colleagues when deserved
 offering professional support and respect for all staff, regardless of
grade
 demonstrating a pride in their standard of work and sharing the
responsibility of the workload fairly
 acknowledging strengths and weaknesses and building upon them
 taking time to listen to the concerns of others
 treating each individual as unique and respecting their right to
individuality
Revised March 2011
MEDICAL STAFF
T
he medical care in the ward is provided by:
Dr Gareth Thomas - Consultant in Old Age Psychiatry
Dr Hazel McCutcheon – Specialty Doctor
The Senior House Officer is available at other times to deal with
problems as they arrive.
There is also an on-call service available
overnight and at weekends. The Senior House Officers are usually on 6
monthly rotations.
PARAMEDICAL STAFF
OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY
An occupational therapy helper carries activities with the patients two to
three times weekly. Presently due to shortages this is on an ad-hoc basis.
DIETICIAN
There is a dietician employed to cover the mental health unit and she
visits the ward on a regular basis. She monitors the dietary requirements
of the patients and acts according to each patient’s individual needs.
CHIROPODY
The chiropodist visits the ward every 12 weeks and she generally sees
most of the patients in one - two days. Requests for treatment between
visits can be arranged.
PHARMACY
Beverly Howard is the Pharmacist attached to the mental health unit. She
checks the drug prescription sheets to monitor medical staff prescribing;
to check dosages and to alert staff to possible drug interactions. She is
happy to answer any queries staff have regarding medication.
PHYSIOTHERAPY
The ward does not have any regular input from the physiotherapy
department but we can contact them if we require their services.