Help after leaving hospital

If you have been in hospital with an illness or an operation, you might need practical help afterwards with things like washing, dressing, and other areas of personal care, until you get back on your feet.

If the hospital staff think you will have difficulty with things like washing, dressing, getting in and out of bed, or generally looking after yourself, they will let us know. A social worker will come and visit you in the hospital and find out about your care needs. They will make a plan about what support you need. We call this an assessment.

Social care assessment

Hospital discharge information leaflet (PDF, 1.26 MB)

If we think you need our help, we can talk to you about the different help that is available. We could do an assessment which will help determine whether we need to arrange for equipment to be installed at home to make getting around easier for you, or simply arranging to get meals delivered so you don't have to cook. This will all be organised before you are discharged from hospital. 

Information on help at home.

NHS information on care after leaving hospital

If you are unsure about anything, you can talk to the Adult Intake and Access Team for advice. You can contact them on 020 8227 2915.

NHS continuing healthcare

If the care you need is caused by a serious long term health problem then the NHS may be responsible for providing and paying for your care needs.

NHS continuing healthcare is a service provided and paid for by the NHS. It is sometimes called NHS fully funded care. If you are entitled to continuing healthcare, they will arrange and pay for the care you need. They might arrange support for you at home or pay for you to live in a residential or nursing home.

NHS continuing health information

Get in touch

Patient Advice Liaison Service (PALS)

Queen’s Hospital, Rom Valley Way, Romford, RM7 0AG

0800 389 8324 

Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS) website

PALS@bhrhospitals.nhs.uk

If you are unsure and need some advice, the Adult Intake and Access Team might be able to help. You can call them on 020 8227 2915.

Adult Intake and Access Team

020 8227 2915