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The Medical Assessment Unit (MAU) plays an essential role in the hospital taking pressure off the Emergency Department helping to reduce waiting times and ensuring that patients receive the most appropriate treatment.
Patients are most likely to have been referred to the unit either by your GP or by a doctor in the Emergency Department. While you are with us a specialist’s opinion on your condition can be gained. The unit is often busy with a large number of people passing through and waiting to be seen.
A registered nurse will be allocated to look after you. They will be working within the area of the unit you are in. If you have any questions about your treatment or progress, your own nurse is the best person to ask.
Our department staff are identified by the colour of their uniforms
Black with red trim - General Manager & Lead Nurse
Navy blue with white trim - Clinical Nurse Manager
Royal blue with white trim - Sisters
White with navy stripes - Staff Nurses
Pale blue - Healthcare Assistants
Lavender - Housekeeper
Navy with white pattern - Receptionist/Ward Clerks
Turquoise with white trim - Support Workers
White patterned blouses or dark polo shirts - Domestic staff
Civilian Dress - Managers and Doctors
All staff wear identity badges displaying their name and role. You may ask to see their identity badge before they examine you.
You are strongly advised not to bring anything of value into the MAU. If you must bring valuable items with you, the hospital safe should be used. The Trust does not accept liability for the loss of any items brought into the hospital. Any property you choose to bring in is at your own risk and it is best kept in a well labelled bag. Please bring basic washing toiletries. We make every effort to return lost property to its owner but this is virtually impossible when items are not labelled.
When you arrive, you will be shown to a bed or a chair in the waiting area if the unit is busy. You will normally be seen in the first instance by one of the nurses who will make an initial assessment. You will be asked questions relating to your general health and also how you normally cope with aspects of your daily life. They will perform some routine tests. Test results will determine whether you will be admitted to a ward or sent home.
These tests may include the following:
When you are seen by a doctor you will be asked questions about your health and symptoms. They will examine you and order any tests that are necessary.
This depends entirely on how many patients have arrived and how many emergencies the team has to deal with.
During very busy times you may have to wait a few hours if your condition is not immediately life threatening. This does not mean that you are not important to us. We are doing all that we can to make the service as quick and efficient as possible within our resources.
Visiting times for relatives and friends are at any time during your stay in MAU. Only two visitors may see a patient at any one time. We would appreciate it if all visitors could make use of the chairs available and for infection control reasons not sit on the patient’s bed.
It is the hospital’s preference that flowers are not brought into the hospital.
Your relatives and friends may be keen to find out how you are. We suggest you nominate one person to phone on behalf of all your family and friends, answering large numbers of enquiries can
prevent nursing care being given to patients. Staff are restricted in the information they can provide over the telephone, therefore, only general information will be given.
Please use the number 01480 428971 for all enquires, we would ask that calls before 10am are kept to a minimum.
We aim to provide high quality service. However, please tell us when something could be improved. If you have a comment or compliment about our service or treatment, please raise your
comments with a member of the unit staff in the first instance.
If you are unhappy about any aspect of your care, there is always a senior nurse on duty with whom you can ask to speak.
If you have any feedback about the service received within the department, please ask to speak with one of the nurse managers. Alternatively you can contact David Monk, General Manager, on 01480 416416 or email david.monk@nhs.net
We are always pleased to receive feedback and to learn from patient experience.
Last modified 02/04/12 10:16:19
Hinchingbrooke Hospital
Hinchingbrooke Park, Huntingdon
Cambs PE29 6NT
Hinchingbrooke Direct:
01480 416416
