Following the initial assessment process, you will be given an estimated date for you discharge (EDD). This estimated date of discharge will be reviewed every day. If you don’t know the date, just ask a member of staff and they should be able to assist you. This will help guide you and your relatives/ carers as to how long you will be in hospital. This by no means implies that your treatment will be rushed; you will not be discharged until the medical team treating you has decided that you are well enough to leave.
Once you have recovered from your illness and no longer need the services of the acute hospital, it is important that your discharge home, or transfer to immediate care services is arranged as speedily as possible. This is in your own best interests and also helps ensure that beds in acute hospitals are available for people who need emergency care. Many people arrange the care they need themselves, by getting help from friends or family. If you are unable to go to your own home without support a member of the Social Work and Intermediate care Team will assist and work with you.
When you go home you will be given 28 days medication and nurses on the ward will explain this to you. If you have brought any medication with you this can be returned to you providing it is safe and appropriate to do so. Your GP will receive a letter containing information about your hospital stay and your prescribed medication.
During you admission, the ward nurses will help you prepare for you discharge from hospital. Please include your family, carers and friends when making these arrangements and talk to them well in advance. Some of the things you may wish to talk about are:
- Is transport arranged for when I am ready to go home?
- Will the house be warm enough when I get home?
- Do people know I am coming home?
- Have I sufficient food in the house?
- Do I need to arrange to get some shopping deliviered?
- Is the key available to gain access to the house?
- Are there any services I might need organised?