Going into and Leaving Hospital

When you go into hospital, it may be for a planned treatment or as an emergency.

If you know in advance when you will be going into hospital, it is a good idea to plan ahead, perhaps with the help of a relative, friend or carer. You may need to think about things such as the care of a pet or pension collection, as well as getting all the things together that you will take with you into hospital.

If you or someone you care for gets social care support at home or you are in a residential home, you need to let the care provider know as soon as possible when you are going into hospital and how long you think your stay will be, because:

• we may be able to help make alternative arrangements for people who may rely on you for their care
• it can prevent staff from worrying about you if they cannot get an answer when they call at your home
• we can make arrangements to keep your care home place available for a period of time. Your benefits and any contributions you make towards care may be affected.

If your hospital stay is an emergency, let one of the nurses know as soon as you can if any of the situations mentioned above affect you. You may also need help to arrange for the care of pets, to collect your pension or secure your home.

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