Medical Assessment Unit (MAU) |
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About | Contact Us | Care Team | Visitor Information | Martha's Rule
About the Ward
MAU is split into 2 area, plus 5 'DAA' (Direct Assessment Area) trolleys.
- Area A : beds 1 - 9
- Area B : beds 10 - 25
Medical Assessment Unit
The MAU beds are used as admission beds for patients admitted through the Emergency Department or via another outpatient area in the hospital. From here you will be reviewed by a consultant and triaged to the appropriate inpatient area for further treatment or discharged home, via the discharge lounge. The bays are single gender and is staffed by members of our nursing team.
Direct Assessment Area (DAA)
The Direct Assessment Area (DAA) has trolley spaces for patients who are sent in by their GP Practice. The area is part of the Same Day Emergency Care (SDEC) service (link) and patients are looked after by this team during the day. Overnight, the trolley area is managed as part of MAU and has nurses and healthcare support workers. Both teams are part of the Acute Medicine specialty and work closely together.
The Direct Assessment Area (DAA) trolley area is mixed gender but benefits from spaces that have walls on each side, and curtains to the front, to help maintain your privacy and dignity.
Medical Same Day Emergency Care (SDEC)
Meals and Drinks
In Direct Assessment Area (DAA), sandwiches are provided as this is an assessment area.
In MAU A and B hot meals are provided.
- Breakfast 7:00am
- Lunch 12 noon
- Supper 5:00pm
Snacks and hot drinks are available throughout the day.
Personal Belongings
The hospital recommends that you bring as little as possible into the hospital as space is at a premium. Please bring well equipped wash bag and overnight clothes.
Bring your medication with you. Please keep valuables to a minimum as the hospital will not accept responsibility or liability for items that go missing. On admission to the area your valuables will be documented and we will encourage you to send home any jewellery or money or alternatively send this to the hospital safe until you are discharged.
Any valuable you keep in your possession are kept at your own risk.
Ward Staff
Helen Jeffcoat-Marsh is the Senior Sister on MAU and is ably assisted by a large team of registered nurses, nursing associates, health care assistants, ward clerks, flow co-ordinators, ward assistants as well as trainee nurse associates and student nurses.
You will also see on the ward physiotherapists and occupational therapists as well as Medical Nurse Practitioners, a wide range of doctors both acute medics and specialist doctors, consultants, housekeeping staff, medical students, pharmacists, pharmacy technicians and porters to name but a few!
Their uniforms are all different - please take a look at the uniform guide. Feel free to ask any staff and they will happily tell you what they do!
There is a nurse in charge called the co-ordinator on every shift and you can also be put in touch with the duty matron if you have any issues.
Contact the Ward
You can contact the ward on:
01225 821214
Please be aware that this is a line that is extensively used and we encourage patients to use their own mobile devices where possible. If you are contacting the ward please delegate one member of your family, carers or friend group to make contact to minimise wait times.
Staff on the ward are very busy and the medical teams are not based in one area so it will not always be possible to speak to the nursing or medical staff when you call.
We do however do our best to keep you informed and appreciate you bearing with us.
If you're worried about a patient's condition – Martha's Rule
You may have heard recently that the NHS has rolled out Martha's Rule to further improve patient safety. This provides a consistent and understandable way for patients and families to seek an urgent review if their or their loved one's condition deteriorates while they are in hospital and they are concerned this is not being responded to.
The RUH offers a Martha's Rule service for inpatients and their families. You, or your relative, can call for urgent help and advice if you/they are a current inpatient and have concerns about their condition.
Martha's Rule is a patient safety service for current inpatients at the RUH. If you, or your family have recently been discharged please discuss your concerns directly with the ward team. It should not be used to report general problems such as issues with beds, room, food or parking - please speak to a member of staff on your ward.
Contact 07775 821211, any time, any day. If no one is available to answer please leave the patient name, ward and a brief description of your concern.
When should I contact the Martha's Rule service?
- When there is a significant change in your/the patient's condition while they are an inpatient and after discussion with the ward team, your concerns have not been addressed
- You have ongoing medical concerns after you have spoken to the ward nurses or doctors
Who will I talk to?
The Martha's Rule service is delivered by the Critical Care Outreach team, who are a team of specialist nurses. They are available 24 hours a day to help support ward staff in the care of acutely ill patients. They can offer advice over the telephone or come to the ward to review the patient's condition if there is a noticeable change.
Find out more