Hospital Discharge

What you need to know

Leaving hospital can be an anxious time. Noone enjoys having to come into hospital in an emergency or for a planned surgery and its normal to think about going home as soon as you starts feeling better. The hospital will want to help you to get home as quickly as possible when you are medically ready. Most people are able to go straight home from hospital but some require short term support. The hospital will always involve you in any decisions about your care, treatment and discharge and give you all the information and support you need to make the best decisions for you.

Longer stays in hospital can be associated with an increased risk of infection, low mood and difficulty in readjusting to your preadmission lifestyle and activities, so getting you home or to an alternative setting in a planned and timely manner will be better for your ongoing recovery.

required) to help with activities of daily living whilst promoting your independence and increasing your strength with a therapy programme. They might suggest assistive equipment for your home if needed. This team are short term until you are able to manage independently and they may recommend a long term care package. Social services will help you source a longer term care package (if you require this) and a financial assessment will be carried out to understand what your contribution will be. Others may just require community therapy team support, or district nursing input.

This team are short term until you are able to manage independently and they may recommend a long term care package.

Planning

your discharge

from hospitalwhat can you expect to happen?

Hospitals will have an estimated date of discharge. They will work with you to access information, advice and support to help make the best discharge decisions. This may include assessing needs, and care options available and if there are funding requirements.

Some people require ongoing rehabilitation this may be able to be met at home but if not they will be transferred to the most appropriate rehabilitation setting. With your permission the hospital will request assessments to find out what your needs are and the services required to get discharged from hospital. The assessments could be for social care, home assessment for any adaptations or eligibility for NHS continuing healthcare.

It’s much better for assessments to take place in your home because hospitals don’t give a true picture of how well you can cope with your recovery. In York for example discharge may include a community response service. This team of therapy staff, nurses and support workers can provide daily visits (if

On the day you leave hospital

Practical things you can do to prepare for returning home may include:

• Clothes in which you can travel home, including outdoor footwear.

• Your door key or someone at home to meet you.

• Someone to turn on any heating at your home during the colder months.

• Any food you require at home to have been organised.

• It may also be helpful to ask a friend or relative to visit you after you get home to ensure you have everything you need.

• Transport: look to make your own transport arrangements to take you home. However if you are eligible, hospital transport can be arranged, by the ward staff.

Most hospitals will have a comfortable discharge lounge for patients to sit in on day of discharge; you can have meals and refreshments whilst waiting for transport to arrive. This is often within easy ‘drive through’ access of the hospital, which makes it more convenient.

You will recieve a discharge letter when you leave hospital, which outlines your diagnosis and all the treatment you received whilst in hospital. This will include any changes to medication, details of a follow up appointment that has been arranged and a copy will be sent to your GP.

Future Planning

If you have been thinking about getting some long term home care for a while, there is support available to help you consider this. Assessing your needs is a free and confidential service and will be provided by your local authority. If you are already a carer for someone else then you’re entitled to a free carer’s assessment to understand the physical, emotional and practical impact that caring has on your life.

If you prefer to explore care services alone then an internet search will pull up a huge number of providers and you might find yourself lost in the lists. The CQC website lists all care providers that are registered with them and you can even see their latest inspection results.

It is a good idea to talk with friends and relatives about your health choices should you be unable to make decisions in the future. This can be done more formally with advanced care planning and advanced directives. There are plenty of resources with local authorities and on the internet especially NHS and Government websites that you and your family can read and use to help inform decisions.