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Going home from hospital

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If you’re going into hospital as part of a planned admission, or even if you’re admitted during an emergency, it’s a good idea to make a plan for when you go home.

You need to think about:

  • How to get home - speak with your nurse if you need support getting home
  • Suitable clothing and footwear if you don’t have any with you in hospital
  • Making sure you have a key to your home
  • Making sure you have food at home
  • Making sure your home will be warm enough when you return
  • What support your carer or family members might need
  • Restarting any private care arrangements

Your support needs

If you feel you need support before going home, the Hospital to Home Team from the Adult Social Care Service in Merton will meet with you and your carer or family. This is an opportunity to discuss any difficulties you may have and any support you may need.

Depending on your particular needs, there are options available. These are designed to help you stay as independent as possible.

The outcome of your assessment will help to decide if you’re eligible for a service, and which service(s) you may be referred to.

Reablement service

These assessments will take place once you have returned home.

Reablement is a service designed for people who have had a change in their circumstances, such as a recent operation or fall, and need extra care at home

Support is provided by specially trained workers who will help you to improve your independence by regaining old skills and building new ones

Reablement is a short term service and is free of charge for up to six weeks or until you have been reabled, which is usually after 2 to 3 weeks. Any on-going care after this time is chargeable.

Social care support

If you need support to be discharged from hospital, and you’re not suitable for reablement, then we can carry out an assessment of your needs. This will help us understand your circumstances and provide you with the right level of support.

From the hospital we can provide a range of support to help you return home safe. We can then schedule a review to take place once you have been discharged to make sure your services are meeting your needs

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Restart of services

If you're already receiving a service from London Borough of Merton, then we can help you to restart this service in line with your discharge. If you feel that the level of service you receive needs to be increased, we can assess this for you too.

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Discharge date and assessment

Your ward should give you an expected date of discharge. It‘s important to make sure that everyone involved in your care is aware of this date.

This means that everyone involved can work towards the date and make sure your discharge happens as smoothly as possible.

Discharge assessment

Before you’re discharged, you’ll be assessed whether it’s safe for you to return home. If you have any concerns about returning home, please let your nurse, doctor or allocated worker know as soon as possible.

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Paying for your care

If you have savings and capital assets of more than £23,250, you are likely to be excluded from some kinds of support. This is known as ‘self-funding’.

Charging information for care in the home

Unlike healthcare, social care support is not free for everyone. Once you have been assessed as eligible for care and we have identified your needs, we will offer to carry out a financial assessment.

Will I need a financial assessment?

Yes. We will need to assess your financial circumstances to make sure we do not charge you more than you can reasonably afford to pay. Because everyone's circumstances are different, we need different information from different people.

You may be asked to provide supporting evidence, such as copies of your pension advice or bank statements.

How do you assess my financial circumstances?

We will add up how much money you have coming in and then make an allowance for costs that relate to your housing and disability. This includes:

  • any capital (savings) you may have
  • benefits you receive
  • and income.

We do not include the value of your current home, but second properties are taken into account.

Government guidelines state how much you need to be left with before the council can start charging you.

Merton Information Advice and Support Hub

The Merton Adult Social Care service aims to intervene when they have to, but not in a way which makes people dependent on its services. We seek to find other practical solutions, in partnership with the Voluntary Sector, to promote people’s independence. Therefore, before contacting the Council, you are advised to contact the following organisations, as appropriate:

Age UK Merton Tel No: 020 8648 5792, 9am – 4pm Monday to Friday for general information and advice, social activities, exercise classes, trips, befriending, and support to live well and independently at home

Wimbledon Guild Tel No: 0208 946 0735, 9am - 5pm Monday to Friday for general information and advice, social activities, outreach services

MertonVision Tel No: 0208 540 5446, 9am – 5pm Monday to Friday for general information and advice, wide variety of bespoke services and advice for people with sight difficulties

Carers Support Merton Tel No: 020 8646 7515, 10am – 4 pm Monday to Friday for general information and advice, expertise and specific support for carers

Merton Mencap Tel No: 020 3458 5121 9.30am – 4.30pm Monday to Friday for general information and advice, expertise and specific support for Adults with Learning Disabilities.

Dementia Hub Tel No: 0208 687 0922, 9am – 5pm Monday to Friday for general advice, information and support and a wide range of services for people with dementia and their carers.

Merton Centre For Independent Living (CIL) Tel no: 0203 397 3119, Monday to Friday, is run and controlled by disabled people, for disabled people.

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