Spending Christmas in hospital may be necessary for some but, for most, home is the best place to be.

Our top priority is to help you get better and support you to leave hospital when the time is right. You will only leave hospital when you no longer need hospital care and it is safe to do so.

We know that people recover and rehabilitate better at home and at this time of year in particular it is important for people to be at home in comfortable surroundings with family and friends.

It’s much better for a patient’s physical and mental wellbeing to leave hospital as soon as they are medically fit for discharge. Long stays in hospital can result in:

• physical deconditioning
  
  
• greater risk of falls and exposure to infection
  
  
• an increase in long term care needs
  
  
• a reduction in mental wellbeing.

Staff from across the Royal Devon and community, including doctors, nurses, therapists and social workers are working closely with patients to plan their safe discharge from hospital, ensuring they are medically fit to be discharged and think home first this Christmas.

Carolyn Mills, Royal Devon Chief Nursing Officer said: “Our staff are doing everything they can to support our patients in ensuring they are well enough to be at home in time for Christmas. We need to know that when our patients return home they will be safe, warm and supported throughout the upcoming Christmas holidays, so we are asking people to help us.”

What you can do to help

If you have a family member, a friend or a neighbour in hospital, there are a number of things you can do to support their discharge from hospital including;

• Staying in contact with the ward they are on so everyone is clear on the expected date of discharge
  
  
• Supporting with any necessary arrangements to provide suitable clothing and shoes for the patient and understanding ongoing medication needs
  
  
• Organising the patient’s transport home – NHS funded transport is only available to those who have no alternative or are going to another NHS or social care service.

It also helps to do little things like popping some milk and food in their fridge, turning on the heating in their home and checking for trip/fall hazards like trailing cables and rugs.

All these things can help ease the discharge of patients and get them back in their own homes in time to celebrate Christmas.

Please read our new patient guide to discharge information leaflet, which includes a helpful discharge checklist, for more information.