No Place Like Home

We know that patients would rather recover at home than in hospital, and studies show that it has a positive impact on recovery. That’s why we're working together to make sure our patients get home safely and as soon as possible.

It’s important to remember that most patients will continue to recover at home once they leave hospital. In fact, many patients need to leave hospital to be able to complete their recovery fully.

Staying in hospital for longer than necessary can have a negative impact on how well patients recover. Ensuring that patients are given the chance to continue their lives at home is vital for their long-term wellbeing outcomes.

Not only that, safe and early discharge from hospitals helps to create a steady flow of patients, ensuring that those who need care most are exactly where they need to be.

We want to empower patients and their families so that they have the confidence to continue their recovery in a familiar environment. Patients’ families can help us to get them home more quickly by providing a little support to allow this to happen. You won’t be on your own because there’s a wide range of support available to you.

Why there’s no place like home

Hospitals can be very busy and unfamiliar environments, meaning that some patients can’t relax and get less rest than if they were at home, and may be more likely to fall too.

Having the right assessment and leaving hospital sooner can help to prevent a decline in function and significantly improve outcomes. 10 days in hospital can lead to the equivalent of 10 years ageing in the muscles of people over 80.

How you can help

Staff in our hospitals will assess all patients carefully before discharging them, making sure that they are safe and ready to recover at home. Once they are happy that patients are ready to make that step, they will do all they can to get them home as quickly as possible. But there are ways that patients and their families can support that discharge too and have a positive impact on recovery.