Your Stay at LHSC

London Health Sciences Centre has a number of bedroom layouts. They range from smaller private rooms to larger rooms for up to four patients. Rooms are assigned based on availability and patient needs. In most situations, it is possible for you to bring in a few items to help make your space more comfortable, however these items must fit in your patient locker within your room. For safety, all items will be checked by the Security Guard or Orderly staff prior to entry to the unit. 

There are no phones or televisions in the patient rooms. Patients are encouraged to socialize. Televisions are located in the common lounges for patient use. Pay phones are located throughout the inpatient units.

Cell phones and tablets are permitted on the inpatient units with the exception of our Psychiatric Intensive Care Unit. Free Wifi is available to all patients and visitors.

In most situations patients can wear their own clothes. There are no laundry facilities available on site. Patients/Families will have to make arrangements to take personal laundry home.

Please change your own bed linen as required, giving all soiled towels and linen to the staff for placement in the laundry hampers. Please DO NOT give personal belongings to staff for laundering.

Visits from family members, friends and others and are encouraged and anticipated by patients. Visiting hours are generally from 4:00pm-8:00pm, Monday-Friday, and 12:00pm-6:00pm, Saturday & Sunday. Also, it is a good idea to have visitors call before visits, as you may be off the unit, on a community outing, or temporarily not feeling well enough for visitors.

If visitors are unable to come during the posted visiting times due to work commitments or child care, alternative arrangements may be made with leadership.

Patients discharged from the unit are not encouraged to visit other patients on the unit, but rather in the lobby, cafeteria, or, preferably, in the community.

Although we encourage a supportive environment between patients, more personal relationships are not encouraged. Your focus while on the unit is to work on your own personal issues.

Trays will be delivered to the dining room, located in the patient lounge. Meal times are generally 8am, 12 noon, and 5pm.

Each patient is responsible for picking up, marking, and returning the menus for the meals. The menus have your name and room number on the bottom. Completed menus are returned to the menu box in the reception area by 2:00 pm each day. For certain dietary restrictions or specific nutritional requirements, please speak with your assigned nurse.

External food and drink is not permitted on the unit. Patients and family members are encouraged to enjoy external food and beverages in the cafeteria or atrium. 

Family members are welcome to bring gifts for you. When they do, please make sure that the staff is aware, so they can assure the gifts are safe for both you and others on the unit. (For example, glass items are not permissible. Electrical appliances need to be checked for proper wiring.)

Please be reminded that there is the possibility of items disappearing. Therefore, gifts of significant monetary or sentimental value are best taken home.

If there is a language barrier, either bilingual staff or an outside interpreter will be sought by staff at your request.

Storage space in our facilities is very limited. If you have belongings that need to be moved or stored at the time you come into hospital, it is your responsibility to ensure that you or your family makes arrangements ahead of time for this to occur. All patient belongings must fit in the locker within the patients room, everything else should be sent home with friends or family. 

It is advisable that valuable belongings be left at home. For security reasons, it is advised that large sums of money be deposited in the Business Office.

Under certain circumstances, arrangements can be made with the nurses on the unit to limit the amount of money allocated.

Patients/clients and visitors are welcome to use the hospital cafeteria. Check the cafeteria doors for operating hours.

There is also a Tim Hortons located on the second level of Victoria Hospital in the B zone and a Starbucks located on the third level of the B zone.

Pastoral care is available at your request. Please speak to your nurse if you wish to see someone. There is a chapel located on the third floor of Victoria Hospital in the C zone.