Take a look inside Benenden Hospital
We’ve put measures in place to keep you safe during your time at our spacious CQC Outstanding hospital.
As an outpatient, you’ll be welcomed to our spacious and well-equipped consulting rooms managed by our friendly nursing team.
As an inpatient, you’ll enjoy the peace and tranquility of your own room with en-suite facilities. You’ll be looked after by our exceptional staff; compassionate professionals who really care.
The hospital sits in the heart of the Wealden countryside, within an area of outstanding natural beauty; the perfect location to relax and recuperate from your treatment.
We’ve received many questions about our arrangements for patients during the current pandemic and whether we'll be offering the COVID-19 vaccine. Below are answers to some of those questions.
Patients are at the heart of everything we do and, while we understand there is lot of uncertainty at this moment, we’ll continue to follow official guidance to ensure the safety of patients and staff. We’re continually reviewing the situation and will ensure this page is kept up to date with any updates to these arrangements or new guidance.
If you have a question which isn't covered here, please get in touch using our enquiry form.
You’ll be contacted by a member of our team if your procedure needs to be cancelled. Otherwise your consultation or your surgery will still go ahead as outlined in your confirmation letter.
We’re following NICE guidance on pre-operative care for all our patients. This means you’ll need to have a COVID swab 72 hours before your procedure and then self isolate with your family until your treatment date.
For inpatients, we’re restricting visitors to situations of exceptional circumstances only.
Any previous tests that have been conducted may need to be re-booked, however, this will be clinically assessed on a case-by-case basis.
We’ve always prioritised hygiene and the control of infection. This has made us one of the safest, infection-free hospitals in the UK. We’re proud of this record and you can rest assured we will always have the strictest hygiene and infection control measures in place to protect our patients, staff and visitors.
We’re continuing to follow Government guidelines and the latest coronavirus advice. If you’re over 70, have an underlying health condition or are pregnant, we’ll complete a full risk assessment to ensure that it’s safe to continue with your planned appointment.
If you’re entering the hospital, you’ll need to wear your own face mask or face covering. There's no need for you to wear gloves when attending your appointment, as we have hand hygiene stations throughout the hospital for you to use.
All staff will be wearing the appropriate personal protective equipment for the situation as per the Government guidance.
We ask all patients to respect the social distancing rules we have in place. Our award-winning Atrium and spacious reception have been specifically reconfigured to allow for social distancing.
If you arrive early, please wait in your car until ten minutes before your appointment time. Toilets are available in the car park.
On entering the hospital please use the hand sanitising gels provided and use our restrooms to wash your hands as soon as possible.
The Pavilion restaurant is open for patients. Visitors can still buy a hot or cold drink or a snack to take away from the fire door outside the restaurant.
If you think you might be late, please call ahead on 01580 363158, and we’ll do our best to accommodate you. If we’re not able to see you, we’ll rebook your appointment.
Please be assured that our appointments team has your details and will be in touch by telephone or email as soon as we’re able to schedule your consultation or treatment.
Please don’t attend for your surgery or an outpatient appointment if you have developed any of the following symptoms:
Any patient reporting or displaying any symptoms of coronavirus will be asked to return home and follow the latest government advice as detailed in our Self-isolation and Stay at home guidance, which is also available on the GOV.UK website.
You should not attend for your appointment if it falls within the ten days isolation period. If your appointment does fall within this period please contact us to re-arrange.
If you’ve enquired about booking an appointment in the coming weeks and months, please be assured our appointments team has your details. The team will be in touch with you by telephone or email as soon as we are able to schedule your consultation or treatment.
For us to be able to maintain social distancing guidelines, we ask that only the patient attends the appointment. Non-patients are not permitted inside the hospital and if someone has accompanied you to the hospital, they must wait outside for you.
Should you wish to pay for a private appointment, we’d be happy to discuss the options available to you and are committed to scheduling appointments as soon as we are able to. Please contact our Private Patient Team on 01580 363158 or via email private.patients@benenden.org.uk.
We understand the need for Benenden Health members to be able to access the hospital treatments and services covered by membership.
As a member you may be entitled to discounts on some self-pay services. If you wish to pay for yourself, we can discuss the options available to you and schedule an appointment for you as soon as we’re able to.
Please contact our Private Patient Team on 01580 363158 or via email private.patients@benenden.org.uk.
We’re rated 'Outstanding' by the Care Quality Commission and proud of our record on cleanliness and infection control. We continue to follow Government regulations and coronavirus-related advice.
We ask that you come to the hospital by private transport only and not by public transport. There’s a convenient drop off area outside the main hospital entrance and free car parking is available at the hospital.
Benenden Hospital is set in a beautiful location in the heart of rural Kent. Please note for Satellite Navigation, please input postcode TN17 4AT
We won’t be playing a part in the rollout of the COVID-19 vaccine as the programme is being managed by the NHS. We suggest you go to www.gov.uk/coronavirus for more information about COVID-19, including vaccination guidance.
While we continue to support the NHS at this difficult time, we won’t be administering the vaccine. The vaccination programme is being managed by the NHS.
No, there are no plans to use the hospital as a vaccination centre.
No, unfortunately the hospital can’t arrange vaccinations. This nationally organised programme of free vaccinations is being managed by the NHS.
No, we’re unable to arrange private vaccinations.
No, there are no plans to use the hospital as a vaccination centre. The country-wide vaccination centres that have been set up are being carefully managed by the NHS.
We suggest you visit www.gov.uk/coronavirus, where you’ll find up to date information about the vaccine rollout.
You’ll be contacted by the NHS when it’s your turn to be given the vaccine. We don’t hold information about where and when it will be available locally.
No, the vaccine is being given free by the NHS, so it isn’t available to buy.
We’re not able to provide this information. Please visit www.gov.uk/coronavirus for information about potential side effects.
We suggest you visit www.gov.uk/coronavirus for information about the testing and approvals process which the vaccination has been through.
Please visit www.gov.uk/coronavirus for information about time to immunity.
Details of the priority order for receiving the vaccine can be found at www.gov.uk/coronavirus.
Yes, even if you’ve had the first stage of the vaccine, you’ll still need to have a COVID-19 test if you're visiting us as an inpatient.
Once we have more information about the effectiveness of the vaccine, and how it may prevent the spread of COVID-19, we might be able to revise this guidance. But until then, we’ll continue to protect our patients at every stage of their hospital journey.
Yes, even if you’ve had the second stage of the vaccine, you’ll still need to have a COVID-19 test if you're visiting us as an inpatient.
Once we have more information about the effectiveness of the vaccine and how it may prevent the spread of COVID-19, we might be able to revise this guidance. But until then, we’ll continue to protect our patients at every stage of their hospital journey.
For the protection of all patients and our staff we’ll continue to ask patients to self-isolate prior to inpatient treatment at the hospital.
Yes, at this time there’s no official documentation to prove that someone has been given the vaccine.
No, anyone who accompanies you to the hospital will be asked to wait outside.
However, individual exceptions may apply, for example if you have mobility issues, or are very hard of hearing. In these situations, you can be accompanied but we’d ask that you contact us beforehand to find out exactly how we can help once you arrive.
Yes, your treatment will go ahead, subject to a negative COVID-19 test.
Yes, you’ll still need to wear a face covering in the hospital.
Yes, we must all continue to follow Government guidelines (hands, face, space) on social distancing until advised otherwise.
