Admission
Clients will be provided with a admission date and time. If this is not suitable, the medical team can be contacted on 01273 694222 to discuss.
Medication
Clients must bring enough medication to last their entire stay. As of 1st April 2020 The Sussex Beacon will no longer re-prescribe non-urgent medications that are routinely prescribed by a GP. All medication must be brought in its original packaging that it was dispensed in. This is a legal requirement and we are unable to use any medication supplied by the client unless it arrives intact.
Dietary requirements
Clients are asked to advise us as soon as possible about any dietary requirements such as allergies, medical or cultural specifications.
Valuable items
Clients should avoid bringing items of value with them. If clients bring in items such as personal computers or tablets please be aware that The Sussex Beacon cannot accept responsibility for them.
Medical and nursing students
We have well-established links to Brighton and Sussex University Hospital NHS Trust and to the University. The Sussex Beacon offers students studying medicine and nursing a valuable learning environment. Clients are asked to let us know of any concerns they have about any student being involved in their care.
As well as our excellent clinical and care services, our clients can expect the following services to be available during their stay at The Sussex Beacon’s Hospital Unit:
Open use of our communal areas
All service users are welcome to use our facilities throughout their stay. These include our contemporary lounge, which offers a variety of books and games, a TV, and a selection of comfortable sofas. A laptop and printing facilities are also available, which clients are free to use. The adjacent kitchen and dining area can be accessed 24/7 and include a dining table, dishwasher, fridge freezer, microwave, cutlery and crockery. Clients are welcome to use the communal fridge to store their own food and (non-alcoholic) drinks. In addition, we provide free juice, milk, squash, butter, yogurts, bread, biscuits, cereals, fruit and a selection of jams and spreads which are always available.
Healthy, freshly-prepared meals
Our in-house chefs prepare a fresh menu twice a day for lunch and dinner which include healthy options for vegetarians and meat-eaters alike, as well as a range of puddings. In addition, our chefs can cater for dietary intolerance’s and allergies, and are able to offer certain meals such as jacket potatoes and omelettes as alternatives. Clients are welcome to eat in their rooms, the first-floor dining area, or to join The Sussex Beacon’s staff, volunteers and service users who usually eat in the ground floor canteen at 12.30pm on weekdays.
Open use of the garden
We encourage our clients to make use of The Sussex Beacon’s beautiful and tranquil garden, which wraps itself around the building and gets plenty of light on sunny days. It includes a small pond, herb and vegetable gardens, a large wooden table and chairs available to service users and staff, as well as a variety of flowers, trees and plants, which are looked after by our dedicated garden volunteers.
Smoking area
The Sussex Beacon has a designated smoking area, which can be accessed any time. Clients who smoke are advised to bring sufficient cigarettes/tobacco to last the whole of their admission. The Sussex Beacon staff cannot buy tobacco products for clients.
Accommodation
The Sussex Beacon Hospital Ward offers a total of 10 bedrooms, which are equipped with a single profiling bed, balcony, private bathroom with either a bed or bath, medication locker, and free Wifi access. Our rooms have been designed to create a ‘home from home’ environment, and we always to try accommodate additional requests where possible.
