Planning To Go Home

Discharge

Being in hospital is usually a short episode in your overall healthcare. It's important to think about going home before you even come to hospital.

At your pre-admission clinic or soon after you arrive, staff will work with you, your family/whanau and your family doctor to plan your discharge home, or to another facility, so that you can leave hospital as soon as you are clinically safe to do so.

Planning for your discharge home, or to another facility, is an important part of your hospital experience and will include information to assist you when you leave and any follow up arrangements.

Any final checks and the discharge paperwork are usually completed in the mornings so that you will be able to leave the ward by 10.00am. You may be moved to a lounge to wait for your transport.

If your admission is planned and you are currently receiving Home Health Services such as district nursing, home help, meals on wheels etc—please don't forget to let them know the dates you are being admitted to and discharged from hospital.

If you have an unplanned admission to hospital and you are receiving Home Health Services—please inform the nursing staff or get a family member or friend to tell them.

Home support services

There is a range of home support services available, for which you may be eligible. Services include home nursing, social work, pre-cooked meals, home help, and care from your family doctor. Many services are accessed through FOCUS.

There are some community agencies offering whanau support—click here for a service directory.

Some home-based services are free, and others are not. You can discuss this with the staff helping with your care.