If you’re worried about how you or a loved one will cope once you are discharged, please talk to your nurse.
Your discharge plan
Your discharge plan is essentially your ‘going home’ plan. Your nurse will be responsible for arranging this and you will be informed of your discharge arrangements as soon as they are made.
We want to involve you as much as possible in your discharge plan and your nurse will always inform you if we need to make any changes to your arrangements.
When making your plans to leave hospital you might want to consider:
- Is your home suitable for your return of will it require some adaptations for your needs?
- Do you need help with personal care?
- Do you need someone to help with your shopping and housework?
- Will you need transport home?
You will not be discharged until your needs are met.
Please feel free to ask any member of staff if there is anything in your discharge plan that you are not sure of or if you have not been told yet when you can go home.
Your leaving hospital checklist
When you are ready to go home, your nurse will make sure you or your carer fully understand your agreed care plan.
Your nurse will give you an information leaflet and explain this to you. You may also be given details for a future outpatients appointment for a check up. If you need a fit note, please ask your nurse.
You may be given medicine, wound dressings or medical equipment to take home with you. Our staff will always discuss how to use these with you. If you need more supplies you should arrange this with your GP or local pharmacy.
If you cannot leave at your discharge time, you may be taken to our discharge lounge to wait for your lift home or for your pharmacy medication.
Before you leave please make sure you:
- Fully understand your care plan. Please use this opportunity to ask any questions you may have
- Have your medication and information leaflets
- Have any money and personal belongings you brought to hospital
- Leave a forwarding address if you’re not staying at your home address
- Ask your nurse for a fit note if you need one
- Return any hospital equipment you no longer need. There’s more information about this on our medical equipment page
- Return any hospital property – for example, books and phone chargers
- Have transport home and someone to keep an eye on you if this is part of your care plan
Supporting your loved one on their return home from hospital
Getting your loved one home ready for their return from hospital will help to reduce the risk of being them being readmitted.
What you can do to help
Here are some things you can do to help get them home ready:
Make sure they have their prescription medicines available, or check if they need help picking them up
Stock up on food and drink at home
Ensure their house is adequately heated and that they have clean bedding
Provide emotional support – leaving hospital can sometimes feel overwhelming
Ask staff for information leaflets and useful contact details
Temperature – ensure the home will be warm enough
Easy reach – arrange items they often use within comfortable reach
Sleeping arrangements – they might need to sleep downstairs temporarily
Bathroom access – consider grab rails or a raised toilet seat
Collect all dressing and necessary equipment
Prepare weather-appropriate clothing and footwear
Falls prevention
The Steady on Your Feet website has lots of useful tips for your loved ones to follow to reduce their risk of falls and keep them safe and independent. There is also a self-assessment tool to assist in developing an action plan and a home safety check to identify hazards around the home.
Accessing the right care for their needs
- A&E is for life-threatening illnesses and injuries only.
- NHS 111 online – provides quick and effective healthcare advice for everyday health conditions at the touch of a button, and can be accessed easily via any laptop, smartphone or tablet.
- Pharmacists can also offer advice on a range of minor illnesses such as coughs, colds, sore throats, tummy trouble and aches and pains.
If your loved one needs care and support after they leave, staff will talk with them about how you can get this.