Your discharge from Noble's Hospital
The following gives information regarding discharge from hospital. Please ask if you do not understand what is being said or you have any concerns during your hospital stay. You and your family/carer (with your consent) should be actively involved in planning your discharge.
The planning of your discharge will commence on or before your admission to hospital depending on whether your admission is a planned one or an emergency. You will be given an approximate date of discharge on admission which will enable you and the team to plan your care and discharge. This date will be reviewed regularly during your stay by the interdisciplinary team involved in your care. Your medical team will monitor your progress and when they assess that you are close to being medically fit for discharge they will discuss an actual date of discharge with the Interdisciplinary team, and with you and your family, to ensure that your discharge is fully planned and safe. The following information may be of help. You will also be given a discharge leaflet on admission that provides further guidance.
Medication
Your discharge medication should be arranged 24 hours prior to your expected date of discharge and should be ready on the ward to enable you to be discharged in the morning. You will be given at least 7 days supply of medication by the hospital which is free of charge. Further medication must be requested from your GP.
Informing your GP about your hospitalisation
A discharge form giving basic information about your hospitalisation will be faxed to your GP on the day you are discharged from hospital; you will also be given a copy of this to ensure you are up to date with any changes to your usual medication. A discharge summary letter is dictated by your consultant, typed and should be sent to your GP within 10 days of your discharge giving more detailed information of your hospitalisation.
Transport on discharge
On discharge from hospital it is expected that you will arrange for family, friends or a taxi to take you home as Hospital transport is only available for those assessed as having a medical need (Hospital transport criteria).
If you meet the hospital transport criteria then you will be collected on discharge by Patient Transport or by ambulance; if an ambulance is required a set time for collection cannot be given. This is because the same ambulance service is also used for emergency call outs. Patient Transport is unable to accept walking frames due to the limited space available; therefore we ask that you arrange for family or friends to take this type of equipment home for you.
Post
The Ward Clerk will ensure that any post is forwarded to your discharge address.
Planning for your discharge
- Ensure you have suitable outdoor clothes to wear
- Ensure that you have arranged your own transport on discharge (unless hospital transport criteria have been met).
- Ensure family/friends have access to your home if applicable to turn heating on, purchase groceries etc.
- Ensure you have a key to your property
- Make sure you understand your medication and any changes to it
If you have any concerns regarding your discharge please inform one of the nurses on the ward.
NB: Please remember that following surgery you are not allowed to drive for 24 hours.
