Leaving hospital

Before you are discharged, the hospital will assess your medical needs and decide how your care needs will be met when you return home.

It is very important that you tell a member of staff if you were homeless being you were admitted to hospital, or you are concerned that you may have lost your home whilst you have been in hospital, or you worried that your home will not be suitable for you when you are discharged.

If you are patient and you are worried about your housing, or you are a friend or relative of a patient and you are worried about their housing, it is very important that you share your concerns with a member of staff as soon as possible, even if you or they are not yet ready to be discharged.

The hospital will complete an assessment with you and look at the options available. This may include:

• social care assessment and/or occupation health assessment to determine what you need once you are ready to be discharged from hospital
• care package to help you when you return home
• further rehabilitation options if required to improve your condition so you can be fit to return home
• liaising with friends or family so you can stay with them until you are ready to return home
• adaptations or Disabled Facilities Grants (see Grants and Loans) to make your home suitable for your needs so you can return home
• referrals to Extra Care Housing Schemes
• support to apply for a Council or Housing Association through Devon Home Choice (opens in new tab)
• making a referral to a local housing authority of your choice if you are homeless or threatened with homelessness, and you are not already receiving help from a local housing authority

You can contact a local housing authority directly to ask for help if you wish. You can contact the Housing Options team at Torridge District Council by telephone on 01237 428700, or email housing.options@torridge.gov.uk. You may be asked to provide information about your medical conditions, and a copy of any reports or care plans you have been issued with so that you can be advised about the options that may be available to you.

You can find useful information about housing .

If you are homeless or threatened with homelessness, you can find information about making a homeless application at Homeless or threatened with homelessness?

Northern Devon Healthcare NHS Trust

If you are a patient at North Devon District Hospital or any other hospital run by the Northern Devon Healthcare NHS Trust and there is concern that you may not cope well at home, you may be referred to the Pathfinder Service. For information about the Pathfinder Service please visit their website (opens in new tab).