Helping you to leave hospital safely Patient information Working together across Sussex and Surrey This booklet will help you plan how you leave hospital. It explains My name: the different services you may need and the arrangements that can be made to support you when you leave. Use it to note the My expected date of discharge: services arranged for you, any concerns you may have or issues you need to discuss. Please keep it with you in hospital and take My key worker: it home when you go. 10 Why you are in hospital DAY S Ten days in hospital leads You become less Hospital stays also expose to the equivalent of 10 able to manage in you to the risk of infections Admitting you to hospital is a serious decision. It means years ageing in the muscles your own home. which you may be that you need treatment that you cannot receive in the of people over 80. ill-equipped to resist. community or in your home. While you are here, the hospital staff will ensure you get the best possible care. Why home is better When your treatment comes to an end they will work with you and others caring for you to help you return Your doctors know that people recover better at home once their safely home. We understand that you may find going treatment in hospital is complete and they are ready to leave. There’s home daunting, especially if you have been in hospital lots of evidence to support this. If you’re normally up and about, you for a while. This leaflet explains what will happen and may find it harder to move around after a long hospital stay because you’ve lost strength. That’s why they don’t want to keep you in how we can support you. hospital any longer than you need to be there. Sit up, get dressed, keep moving Your home is a much better place than a busy hospital to think about your future and make important decisions. You can seek Feel free to ask the team looking after you questions advice and support from family and friends and make decisions at any time. You can prepare yourself to go home by in a familiar place. If you need an assessment for long-term care it is also better to do that in your own home. staying active while you are in hospital. It’s good, if you’re able, to get out of bed, get yourself dressed We know that for some patients, returning home may not be an option. If you are in this position and at St Richards or Worthing Hospital, your and go for a walk every day. It will help you to get medical team may suggest a care home or short-term placement. It is better and go home more quickly. still really important for your recovery that you take up that offer. 2 3 How we plan to 3 Preparing to leave hospital After the assessment, we will better understand get you home the support you need. If you need more support than can be provided at home, we will talk with you about this and write to you. Before you leave 1 Information hospital we will also give you information on We will talk with you as soon as possible about health or care services which may help you and when we think you might be able to go home. We we’ll talk with you about your medication. will discuss whether anyone else, such as family When you are discharged home it is important members or a partner, need to be involved in any to us that you will be safe and able to manage. decisions. If you have any questions, we will do Although some people require no extra help, we our best to answer them. You will be allocated a will assess your needs. If necessary there are a discharge key worker or nurse on the ward, from our variety of services we may be able to access to hospital team, who will be able to talk to you about support you on your return home including: any concerns you may have about leaving hospital. • Community therapy • Carers support service • Community nursing • Adult services 2 Assessing your strengths and needs • Proactive care • Voluntary services We will talk with you about the support you already have and what more you might need to If your needs identify that one or more of these remain healthy and independent at home. We services are required, this will be discussed with will then make sure that the most appropriate you and those supporting you. assessment is carried out. This helps you recover and remain well. 4 5 Who will pay for your care? Housing and homelessness Provision of care in your own home When you are admitted to hospital it is important to consider West Sussex County Council can offer you an assessment which whether you will have accommodation to return to. will determine what care you require and either give you • Your home may be unsuitable for your medical needs information and advice or, if required, make a referral to the appropriate services. • A long stay in hospital may affect your rent payments If you require further reablement a social worker may be able and tenancy to arrange short-term support consisting of care support and • You have nowhere permanent to stay occupational therapy. This is dependent upon the availability of services at the time that you are ready to be discharged. • Please tell your ward nurse if you have housing issues. If you have longer term needs West Sussex County Council could support you to have care provided in your own home. This is a chargeable service and a financial assessment will need to be completed. A package of care and rehabilitation may Confusion and dementia also be provided by the NHS and is subject to assessment by the team on the ward. Many people become forgetful as they become older. This NHS Continuing Healthcare may not be due to dementia. Infections can also cause sudden If you have a high level of health or care needs the ward team confusion and memory problems, particularly in older people. involved in your care will complete a NHS Continuing Healthcare assessment. NHS Continuing Healthcare is a package of services New surroundings and new people may confuse an older arranged and funded by the NHS for people outside of hospital person as well as a person with dementia. However, they with ongoing health needs. These services can be provided in your may be less confused in familiar places and with their usual own home or in a care home with or without nursing. routines. This is why many people with dementia cope well NHS-Funded nursing care in their own homes. People with lower nursing needs who require a care home with nursing may be eligible for a weekly contribution towards registered If you are concerned your memory is affecting your ability to nursing care. Your ward team can advise you on this. cope please talk to your doctor. For more information please ask for the leaflet: NHS continuing healthcare and NHS-funding nursing care - Public information booklet 6 7 Planning your discharge checklist The day you leave hospital In hospital please ask about and make a note of the following: When I get home can I... Yes No Transport Take a bath? You will need to arrange your own transport to collect you Have a shower? from hospital. Please ask a relative or friend to collect you or Climb stairs or steps? Lift heavy objects? call a taxi. Hospital transport is available only for people who Take walks or exercise? have a medical problem that prevents them from using a car, Resume sexual activities? taxi or public transport. Please note we can only transport Return to work? one small bag of essential belongings. Other possessions Drive a car? Do other activities? must be taken home by family or friends. When I get home, will I need to think about... Yes No Medicines Someone to stay with me? If you are given medication to take home, your ward nurse Help to get to the toilet? Help with shopping or preparing meals? will explain the instructions to you. Medications you brought Help to do the housework or gardening? into hospital will be returned to you providing it is safe and Help to walk up my path to my front door? appropriate to do so. Help with my medicines? Help to communicate? Discharge lounge Help to swallow safely? Patients usually move to the discharge lounge before they My family or carers to be taught to care for me? leave hospital. It can take several hours for transport and Will I have continence issues? medications to be organised but you will be well cared for What will be provided... Yes No Community nurse? while you wait. The lounge will have facilities including Home care service? refreshments and a television. Day hospital? Discharge summary Day centre? Occupational therapist? A letter giving details of your hospital admission and Physiotherapist? medications that you have been sent home with will be sent Proactive care? to your GP. You will be given a copy to share with any health Intermediate care? or social care professional visiting you. You should get repeat Equipment? Other? prescriptions from your GP surgery. 8 Please highlight to staff any problems or concerns you have about returning home. 9 Going home day checklist Once you are home, what if… Ask family or friends to bring in clothes for you The community nurse does not arrive? Phone OneCall 01903 254789 which is open 24 hours a House keys day, seven days a week.