With the holidays coming up, we want to support as many patients as possible to get home for the holidays.
Staying in hospital can be strange and confusing for you, as well as your family and friends. We want to help you go home as soon as you are well enough to continue your recovery outside hospital. Research shows prolonged hospital stays can have a significant negative impact on someone’s health. You can find out more about leaving hospital in the "When Am I Leaving Hospital" booklet.
Information:
A simple question to ask whilst you or a loved one is in hospital is "When am I likely to leave hospital"
It’s really important that you talk to your relatives, carer or friend and your ward care team about what you will need when you leave hospital and get an approximate discharge date from the medical team.
Don’t be afraid to ask what’s happening. The teams looking after you, know how important it is that we help you get home. Make sure you let us know of any support you already have – like equipment or carers. We will talk to you and your relative, carer or friend to plan your discharge with your permission.
What can you, your family, loved ones and carers can do to help you get home for the holidays
As discharges can often be arranged in a matter of hours, you and your relative, friend or carers will need to think about;
- How will you get home? This could be with a relative, carer or friend collecting you by car or taxi. Hospital transport can be arranged if you fit the eligibility criteria. If you have a medical condition and fit the eligibility criteria, it may be that we arrange your transport home by Ambulance.
- How will you get into your home, do you have your door key?
- Do you have suitable clothes and footwear to wear to go home in?
- Is there enough food at home for you?
- Will your home be warm enough for you?
Things we need to do before you leave hospital
- Discharge summary - this details the care you have received in hospital. At times of increased patient numbers, there could be a delay in you receiving the discharge letter.
- Clinical supplies - such as bandages, continence pads, or nutritional feeds
- Care and support on discharge - if you are going home but you need extra support to facilitate a safe discharge, a referral to social care or community health care providers will be made on your behalf.
- Equipment - If you need equipment to support you at home like a walking stick or a wheeled walker to help keep you mobile, the Therapy team will arrange this prior to discharge.
You can find out more about leaving hospital in the booklet "When Am I Leaving Hospital."
Please remember the one simple question, "When am I likely to leave hospital"