Getting home from hospital

We will talk with you about when you might be able to go home and make sure we discuss what is important to you. We will do our best to answer any questions or worries you may have about leaving hospital.

After staying in hospital, some people need extra help when they go home. We will talk about the help you might have already and any extra help you might need.

Once we understand this, we will talk together about your options. We want to make sure that, after you leave the hospital, you’re going to the best place for your recovery – this will probably be your own home.

Where appropriate, and with your consent, we will involve your family or carers in making decisions about your health and care. You might find it helpful to include them in our discussions.

There is also plenty that family members can do to speed up the process. If you have a loved one getting ready to be discharged from hospital, please think about the following checklist:

• Do they have somewhere warm and comfortable at home to recover?
• Have they stocked up on food and drink?
• Make sure they can get home – will they need an arrangement with relatives, friends or carers?
• Have they got suitable clothing for their discharge?
• Make sure they have their house keys with them
• They may have specific medical needs – for instance a sharps box for needles and syringes
• Do they have the medication they need when they are discharged such as insulin, or dressings and equipment
• Do ask a member of hospital staff for any written information leaflets that could help or contact details of relevant services
• Check in advance with any local charities or organisations that may offer a supporting service such as Lancashire Fire and Rescue which offers a home fire assessment
• They may be referred to a service to support their recovery such as a rehabilitation service or other specialist team so make sure you are comfortable with this information.

If you need a follow-up appointment or any further investigations, we will arrange this before you leave, or will contact you as soon as we can when you get home.

When you are discharged, we will send a letter to your GP explaining the reason why you were in hospital. This will tell your GP everything they need to know about your stay in hospital, your medication and your discharge location.

If you need help at home when you are discharged, community support services will be arranged before or upon your return.

If a family member or a friend care for you on a regular basis, they can access free support and advice from Support and benefits for carers - NHS (www.nhs.uk) and may be eligible for a carer’s grant.

For more information on grants visit: Benefits and financial support if you're caring for someone - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

If you would like a copy of this information in leaflet form to be given to someone else, please speak to your nurse or discharge coordinator.

Once you have been declared medically well, you may require further health and social care assessments. These will be completed outside of the hospital setting and wherever possible, within your own home.

Our Transfer of Care Hub has a range of services in place to help you to return safely to your own home. If you can't return home when you are ready to leave hospital, your assessment will be completed in the place you go to on discharge.

If you need support at home, the Adult Social Care Team will arrange this prior to discharge and complete an Assessment of your needs when you are at home. If a Carers assessment is required, this will be completed either before your discharge or once you are at home.