The information on this page offers information you may need after your hospital stay.

Leaving (discharge) date

Staff will usually agree a leaving (discharge) date with you at an early stage. Everyone involved will work towards making sure you go home on time. On your day of discharge, we will aim to have you ready to leave the ward by 10am. If you need to wait for transport, or for your medicine to be prepared, we’ll take you to the discharge lounge. The ward staff will let you know if they think you should be accompanied home by a friend or relative. Please make suitable plans as soon as you know your departure date.

Medical certificate

If you’re going to need a medical certificate for your employer or for National Insurance purposes, please discuss this with a member of the ward staff as soon as you can. Please do not wait until you are about to leave the hospital.

Ongoing care

If you think you will need help at home, please let your nurse know as soon as you can. We can talk you through suitable care options and make arrangements with agencies such as community nursing services and local authority social workers. You will be involved in making decisions and will be kept up to date at all stages. Make sure you understand what follow-up care you’ll be getting and when it will start.

Your contact details

When you leave, the staff will ask for your address and contact telephone numbers (if you haven’t already supplied them). If you are not returning home immediately, please let the staff know your plans. This is for your own safety and protection.

Emergency contact details

You’ll be given details of whom to contact in the unlikely event that there is an emergency relating to your treatment here.

Medicines

We will give you a supply of any medicines you may need and information on how to get repeat prescriptions if you need them.

Discharge letter

You will be given a letter, called a discharge letter, giving brief details of your stay in hospital, any medicines you have been advised to take and information about your discharge (leaving hospital) arrangements.

Hospital transport

If you are assessed by our transport assessment officers as being medically unable to make your own way home and you have no other means of getting home, staff can advise you about arranging hospital transport.

Follow-up appointments

If you need to come back for follow-up care, an appointment will usually be made before you leave the ward. If not, we’ll send you a letter to invite you back.