Coming out of hospital

Overview What is discharge planning? What should a discharge plan include? Who’s involved in discharge planning? Healthcare needs Intermediate care Reablement Community care services Moving from hospital to a care home Complaints

Who’s involved in discharge planning?

Before you’re discharged, you – and your carer, if you have one – should be involved in decisions and choices about your care. You should be given a copy of the assessment.

The following people are usually involved in the discharge planning process:

• nurse in charge – they’re main contact person while you are in hospital, overseeing the care provided and plans made for leaving hospital
• consultant – they decide what medical care should be provided and decides when you’re well enough to leave hospital
• discharge coordinator – they’re responsible for coordinating your discharge at the hospital and can help highlight carer organisations in the community
• pharmacist – they provide the medication required for you and information on how and when it should be taken

With your permission, an assessment of how you manage daily activities will be carried out in the hospital by an occupational therapist and possibly a social worker.

Other people who may be involved when requested and when necessary include:

• hospital social worker
• community psychiatric nurse
• physiotherapist
• speech and language therapist
• dietician
• incontinence advisors
• chaplain