Contacting inpatients

Phoning inpatients

Patients can call for free from the Hospedia terminals to 01, 02, 03 telephone numbers. Without paying any fee, patients can receive phone calls on a personalised phone number. All they need to do is register their details to get started. By registering, they get their own phone number to give to friends and family. Friends and family call the number the patient gives them and they will be connected directly to the patient. This is an 07 phone number so charges apply for people calling in.

We would like to thank all patients and visitors for their support, patience and co-operation. We appreciate these restrictions and measures will cause concern but our focus is to maintain patient safety and prevent the spread of infection. If you’d like further information, please contact the Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS) at est-tr.PALS@nhs.net.

'Letters for loved ones' - helping people stay connected

To help families, friends and carers keep in touch, we have set up a ‘Letters for loved ones’ initiative. If a family member, friend or carer would like to write a letter and, if they wish to, include a couple of photographs, they can email esth.lettersforlovedones@nhs.net. They will need to provide the patient’s name and date of birth, and (if they know it) the ward in which they are being cared for.

Our Patient Experience and Partnership Team will print letters and photos received, note who/where they are for, laminate them and ensure they reach the right ward (we will try to make deliveries every day, Monday to Friday). If you have any questions regarding the above or need any help, please call our Patient Experience and Partnership Team on 020 8296 4325 (9am - 5pm, Monday to Friday – please leave a message if we are unable to take your call).

‘Virtual Visiting’ – helping patients stay connected with loved ones

To help families, friends and carers keep in touch with our patients, we now have tablets available on every ward so that patient and relatives can now keep in contact via a live video known as Virtual Visiting.

All you need is a mobile phone or laptop/ipad whichever can support live video. Once we have your mobile phone or email address we can send you a link via our tablet and  then you are all set to go.

Virtual Visiting appointments are available Monday to Friday (1pm -4pm), if you would like to book a virtual visit please email esth.virtualvisiting@nhs.net tell us the day and time you would like to connect, the patients name, ward if known and your Mobile phone number or email address.

The Patient Experience and Partnership Team will visit the patient at the scheduled time to ensure the call goes through to you or to resolve any technical issues that arise.

If you have any questions regarding the above or need any help, please call our Patient Experience and Partnership Team on 020 8296 4325 (9am - 5pm, Monday to Friday – please leave a message if we are unable to take your call).