Going Home From Hospital
Getting Home | Discharge Plans | Assistance at Home | Ongoing Treatment | Community Health CentresWithin the first day or two of your hospital stay, the staff will discuss with you when you are likely to be able to leave, that is, to be discharged.
Getting Home
It is best to organise a family member, friend or neighbour to collect you from hospital. However, if you have no one to collect you or you are in a hospital a long way from your home, the hospital may be able to assist you with transport.
If you live in a regional area, you may be eligible to apply for assistance through the Transport for Health program.
Discharge Plans
A Discharge Plan is a routine part of managing your stay in hospital. This plan is developed to make sure that your discharge from hospital occurs as effectively and efficiently as possible. The staff will also ask you questions about your life and home to identify if you will need extra help when you are discharged from hospital. These questions may include:
• Do you live alone?
• Are there steps in your home?
• Do you receive any assistance from any outside agencies?
• Are there steps in your home?
• Do you receive any assistance from any outside agencies?
Assistance at Home
If the hospital staff identify that you will need assistance when you are discharged, you may be referred to your local community health services or community support services. If you, your family, or your carer are concerned about any aspect of your return to home or your discharge from hospital, please discuss the matter with the hospital staff.
Older people may also benefit from the Healthy at Home program.
Ongoing Treatment
It is important that the nursing staff who are caring for you in the hospital know when you are going to leave, so that they can make sure that you:
• are aware of your ongoing treatment
• have all the medications you need
• are aware of any appointments or referrals which have been made for you by hospital staff.
When you no longer require treatment in the hospital but continue to require health care, you may be referred to health services located in the community or those which provide outpatient services from the hospital. Outpatient services are usually provided on an appointment basis and are located within hospital grounds. Your local General Practitioner (GP) may continue the management of your treatment and you may be required to make a visit shortly after your discharge from hospital.
Community Health Centres
Community health services are usually located in your local community. Community Health Centres provide a range of services, including non-acute treatment, health preventative and promotion programs, health education and screening, counselling, and continuing care for chronic conditions (such as diabetes, chronic airways limitation, and circulatory problems).
You may be referred to your local community health services by the hospital staff or by your GP. However, you often do not need a referral and you can contact your local community health service directly. Many of these services are provided at the community health centre, but community health staff may visit you at home if necessary.
Visit our Your Health Service page to obtain more information about your local health service facilities.