Hospital discharge is the term used when a person leaves hospital once they are sufficiently recovered. People should not be discharged from hospital unless they are medically stable.
If you need to be admitted to hospital, the nursing and medical staff will see you shortly after your arrival and ask you questions about your health and home situation.
Most people return from hospital directly to their own home, some with support from Health and Social Services. Other people may benefit from more support to complete their treatment plan through rehabilitation in their own home, often called Reablement. If people have very complex problems or where it is no longer safe for a person to return home, they may be discharged to a Residential or Nursing Care.
If you may need ongoing care and support after your discharge, you must have a needs assessment so that any support or care services that you need for help to live at home can be arranged before you leave hospital.
The assessment may be undertaken by a nurse case manager or social worker from the Joint Hospital Discharge Team provided by Caerphilly County Borough Council Social Services Directorate and the Aneurin Bevan Health Board. The team covers all of the hospitals where patients from the county borough are likely to be admitted and include:
- Ysbyty Ystrad Fawr, Ystrad Mynach
- University Wales Hospital, Cardiff
- Prince Charles Hospital, Merthyr Tydfil
- Royal Gwent Hospital, Newport
- Neville Hall Hospital, Abergavenny
If your needs have changed considerably since you were admitted to hospital, you may require a multi-disciplinary needs assessment. You and any relative or friend, should be fully involved in this assessment. It might also involve the your consultant, nursing and ward staff, physiotherapists, occupational therapists and social workers.
If you require any further information or advice about hospital discharge contact ASDIT on freephone 0808 100 2500.