Getting you home from hospital

Our staff are here to care for you and support you whilst you are unwell.

Whilst you’re in our care, we’ll work with you on plans to send you home, so that you’re involved at every stage. Your health, safety, wellbeing and what matters to you is very important to us.

It is really important that you tell your family and/or carers about your expected date of discharge, so that together, we can make sure that you leave hospital and return to where you live as soon as possible.

The day before you are going to be discharged, it is important that you make sure that you, your relative, friend or carer have keys to be able to get into your home and that transport is arranged or requested to take you there.
If you live in a nursing or residential home, or receive assistance in your own home, we will contact your carers to let them know that you will be coming home, and we will arrange your transport home from hospital.
If you are going to need any further support when you leave the hospital, we will discuss this with you and your family/carer before you are discharged.
Any follow up support that you need can be discussed in more detail when you get home, with staff and service providers in the community. We will speak with providers in the community to arrange this. Your GP will also receive information about the care that you have received and any follow up actions and/or appointments that you need.
On the day of your discharge, you will leave the ward between 8-10am and if you are not being collected at that time you will go to the hospital discharge unit. You’ll take with you any medications that you require and a copy of your GP letter. If you require transport, you will go to the hospital’s discharge unit from 8am onwards where you will wait for your transport.
If you or your family or carers have any questions or queries, we will be pleased to provide support and advice after you have left the hospital.

These are:

Why am I in hospital?
What is going to happen to me today?
When can I go home?
What needs to happen to get me home?

Located on the ground floor of the hospital, off the Patrick Court entrance.

We have direct access to an ambulance and taxi pick up point, and are conveniently located for your family or friends to collect you from hospital.

Our friendly staff are available throughout your time on the unit to answer any questions, support your wellbeing and make sure that your discharge home from hospital is as safe
and efficient as possible.

We have spaces for both beds and chairs, depending on what you need, offering comfortable seating and recliner chairs in a single sex environment.

As we only have limited space, we aren’t able to accommodate visitors with you before departure, unless in special circumstances.

Meals are served at breakfast, lunch and tea with a selection of hot and cold provision available. Tea, coffee and juice is served regularly and available upon request.

Every day, we identify which patients from our wards and the ED are being discharged home. Transfers from where you have been receiving care, into the discharge unit begin every morning at 7.30am.

Ward staff try to offer breakfast before your transfer to the unit, however if this has not happened yet we have a selection of cereal and toast.

We’ll make sure that you have any help with personal care and toileting like you have on the ward, and will support with any medication you need.

Once your discharge paperwork is underway, any medicines you need for when you leave will be ordered with our pharmacy department.

Once you’re ready to go, we can help you make arrangements to get home, contacting family or a taxi, or ambulance transportation if that is what you need.

Altogether, we don’t expect you will be on the discharge unit for longer than four hours. We hope that your stay is comfortable and if we can help in any way, please feel free to ask.