Discharge from hospital
Health and social care partners across Nottingham and Nottinghamshire are committed to ensuring that you are discharged from hospital as soon as is it safe to do so. Research shows that people recover better at home and any longer hospitals stays can lead to increased risk of falling, lack of sleep, catching infections and physical decline. We want to help you leave hospital as soon as your treatment has been completed. Your recovery can continue in the community.
We have a ‘home first’ approach to discharge because for 95% of people home is the right place to go, to recover or have further health and care support.
We will ensure that:
- Nobody stays in a hospital setting any longer than is necessary.
- Less people are exposed to additional and avoidable risks of infection.
- Those who need acute care in a hospital can have that care when they need it.
- People do not loose muscle strength from staying in bed for long periods.
- Assessments and decisions about long term care are made outside of an acute hospital.
As soon as you are becoming ready for discharge the hospital staff will speak to you and your family about what you are able to do for yourself and what support you may need with day to day living. This will then be discussed by a team of community health and social care professionals who will agree the right discharge plan for you.
This will most often be returning you to your home with support – it might be moving to a community unit – a temporary care setting for further recovery, rehabilitation and reablement or in a small number of cases a nursing and residential home may be the best place if returning home is highly unlikely due to your ill health or support needs being too complex. You will receive an assessment for any long-term care.
