Patients & visitors
Coming to hospital
Leaving hospital
- Home
- Coming to hospital
- When you leave
- Leaving hospital
Getting ready to leave
Discharge planning
Your treatment team will decide when you are able to go home. We call this your discharge.
We'll let you know ahead of time when we plan to discharge you, so that you can arrange for someone to take you home. We can also contact that person for you.
If you need a medical certificate for work, Centrelink or insurance, please ask your doctor to provide one for you before your discharge.
Discharge time is usually 9am. If you can’t arrange for someone to collect you at this time, you may be asked to wait in the Transit Lounge where nurses can monitor you until you leave.
If needed, your doctor or nurse will arrange any services that you need at home such as Meals-on-Wheels, home nursing, physiotherapy and rehabilitation.
If you're concerned about any aspect of returning home, ask your nurse to arrange an appointment with a social worker. You should try to arrange this appointment as early as possible before you go home.
We will send your discharge summary to your GP within 24 hours of your discharge.
Before you leave
Make sure you have all of your personal belongings such as:
- Glasses
- Hearing aids
- Phone chargers
Before you leave the hospital, make sure that the people who'll be looking after you at home know what they need to do. If you're in any doubt, ask your nurse to write down your treatment program.
Checklist
This checklist will help you plan your discharge from hospital:
- Arrange for someone to pick you up
- Give your forwarding address to ward staff in case they need to contact you
- Make sure you have a time and date for your next Outpatients appointment (if needed)
- Make sure you have enough medication and you understand how and when to take it
- Make sure you have all of your personal items
