Operational Changes to the Poisons Unit
What is a poisons unit? / Who would use this service?
A poisons unit is a dedicated specialised area which is staffed to deal with the needs of patients over the age of 16 who have suspected poisoning. Poisoned patients often require psychological and social support as well as physical treatment. The units are typically staffed with a multi-disciplinary team trained and experienced in the care of poisoned patients.
What has changed and why?
Before 2020 patients that experienced acute poisoning would receive treatment at either UHL (University Hospital Llandough) or UHW (University Hospital Wales Heath Park) where they would be under the care of a clinical pharmacologist or a general physician. Having two different entry points for receiving this type of care meant that we were not providing a consistent service to acutely poisoned patients and so we began to consider how we could change this for the better. The service is now being provided from just one site – UHW.
How does this benefit patients?
Sometimes, patients that have experienced acute poisoning will require an intensive care bed which are not available at UHL.
Site Accessibility
Where is the service located?
The site is located at University Hospital Wales, Heath Park, Cardiff, CF14 4XW
Is there parking? Do I have to pay?
Yes, there is dedicated parking for patients, visitors and staff at UHW, Heath park, including accessible parking spaces. You do not have to pay for parking.
Is there accessible parking?
Yes, there are a number of accessible parking spaces available, with clearly marked bays and easy access to the hospital.
What are the public transport options?
Bus
There is a bus stop directly outside the multi storey car park which is a very short walk to the EU department. Please click on this link to find the bus timetable:
Train
The nearest train stations are Heath High Level (Rhymney Valley line to and from Cardiff) and Heath Low Level (Coryton line to and from Cardiff). Both are one mile away from UHW.
Plan your journey with Transport for Wales.
Cycling
There are cycle storage options available at UHW.
OVO bikes are available to hire and there are two stations at UHW. You can find their locations on the OVO bikes website.
Free Park and Ride
Our Park and Ride service is free for staff, patients and visitors to University Hospital of Wales (UHW). The bus runs from Pentwyn, just off the A48(M) at CF23 8HH to UHW.
The service runs Monday to Friday, with buses every 20 minutes and the journey time to UHW is around 6 minutes.
The first bus leaves Pentwyn at 6.30am and the last bus leaves University Hospital of Wales at 9pm.
For the full timetable click here.
Site Facilities
Are there any catering facilities on site?
There are restaurant facilities and a small retail area within the UHW site.
Y Gegin restaurant is situated on the Upper Ground Floor of A Block and is open 7 days a week from 7.30am.
There are also a number of Aroma outlets serving refreshments.
The Concourse is situated on the ground floor at the main entrance of the hospital and has a small retail area that includes a post office and a small selection of shops.
Welsh language - Will there be information/ signage available in Welsh?
Yes, there will be information and signage available in Welsh.