Caring for someone in hospital

Caring for someone in hospital

When someone you care for goes into hospital it can be a worrying and overwhelming time. We work with York Hospital to support unpaid carers through the Integrated Discharge Support Service (IDSS).

Things to consider:

• If the person you care for has been admitted to hospital, their care needs may have increased or changed. It’s important to remember that you have a choice about how much of the caring role you wish to take on.
• With consent from the person you care for, you can be fully involved with planning for discharge and any care plans.
• Without consent from the person you care for, staff should still listen to any concerns you have and take your wishes and any concerns into consideration.
• If the hospital stay is more than 28 days, it may affect your benefits as well as the person’s you care for. You can speak to the Department of Work and Pensions about this, or seek advice from our benefits advisor.

Support:

The Integrated Discharge Support Service (IDSS)

The Integrated Discharge Support Service (IDSS) team offer discharge support for patients with complex needs or who are living with frailty. This is usually arranged as part of discharge plans by the hospital. You can also contact the team if you have any concerns following the hospital discharge.

We work in partnership with Age UK, North Yorkshire Sport and YorkCVS, to support unpaid carers to plan for hospital discharge, ensuring you have the knowledge and support needed to navigate systems at the hospital.

To make a referral, call York Frailty Hub on 01904 928844 or email York Carers Centre on carersoutreach@yorkcarerscentre.co.uk

York Hospital’s Carer Hub

York Hospital’s Carer Hub includes essential information, helpful resources and practical advice for carers in this situation. This includes information about visiting, communicating with the hospital, free parking arrangements for some essential carers, and involvement in discharge planning.

Martha’s Rule

Martha’s Rule is a national patient safety initiative which is in place for patients at York Hospital. It gives patients and families access to a clinical review if they are worried that a patient’s condition is deteriorating. The number to call for help under Martha’s rule is 07345 456277.