Discharge planning starts from the patient's admission to the ward. The social circumstances and level of independence is looked at to ensure that once the patient becomes medically ready, the ward staff can be proactive in supporting them with a safe and effective discharge to their home or next place of care with appropriate support, if required.
During a patient's stay on the ward, they will be reviewed daily by the Surgical Team to monitor their recovery. The nursing staff will create an individual plan of care for you.
Every patient on the ward has an estimated date of discharge that the multidisciplinary team will work towards. Read more about preparing for going home from hospital.
As Ward A4 is an acute surgical ward, once the acute phase of a patient's care is completed, we will support the patient to move to a more appropriate place of care. If patients require support at home or are being discharged to an alternative place of care, patients will step down from Ward A4 whilst they await this additional support to be put in place.
Ward B3 at Halton Hospital Nightingale Building is the 'step-down' ward to support patients with the next part of their inpatient journey.
If patients do not require additional support at home, they will be moved to the Discharge Lounge while they are awaiting medications to take home and transport to be arranged.