Going into the hospital can be a worrying time for carers. If you are a carer and admitted to hospital you will want to know that the person you care for is being well looked after.
If the person you care for goes into hospital you may intend to continue providing some care during their admission. Your support is valued and will likely improve the person’s experience of being in the hospital.
However, it is worth considering that hospital visits can be tiring, especially if you need to travel a long way. Care needs can also differ from those at home and may include extra responsibilities.
For some, a hospital admission presents an opportunity for respite from their caring role. Taking a break from caring can allow you valuable time to rest and recuperate, especially if friends and family can visit instead.
Whether it’s you or the person you care for in the hospital, admission to the hospital can present challenges. There may be important and sometimes difficult decisions to make. However, support is available.
Our Hospital Carer Liaison Team is here for you while you, or the person you care for, are in the hospital.
Hospital Carer Liaison Workers
Please speak to our Hospital Carer Liaison Workers if you need advice, information, or emotional support at any time during a hospital admission or discharge. They understand that these processes can be confusing and can help to access information and advocate for your needs.
We can be contacted by using the contact form, or by telephone:
BRI
Alex Kelly (Monday – Wednesday) – 0754 259 2623
Megan Powell (Monday – Friday) – 07763 427 688
bnssg.hospitalcarerliaisonservice@nhs.net
Southmead Hospital
Samantha Radford (Tuesday – Thursday and every other Monday) – 0755 741 8692
bnssg.hospitalcarerliaisonservice@nhs.net
FAQs
What will happen to the person I care for if I have to go into hospital?
The person I care for is in the hospital. Should I tell the staff that I am a carer?
What about the Carer’s Charter?
Can I get help with car parking costs?
The person I care for has dementia. How will being in hospital affect them?
A sudden hospital admission
What will happen after the person I care for is discharged
What if the person I care for is in hospital as a result of their mental health?
What if I need to make a complaint?
Our Hospital Admission Checklist
What will happen to the person I care for if I have to go into hospital?
Admission to the hospital will usually either be planned way or as an emergency.
If you know you are going to be admitted and there is no one else who can take over the care and support of the person you care for, contact your local council’s duty desk. They will discuss options open to you and can set up alternative care arrangements.
If you are admitted as an emergency, tell someone in the hospital and they will contact the local council on your behalf. If you have a Carers Emergency card, this will inform ambulance or hospital staff that you are a carer. They can then alert the 24-hour Emergency Call Centre.
The person I care for is in the hospital. Should I tell the staff that I am a carer?
If you, or the person you care for have not been asked, then tell staff you are a carer.
If the person you care for consents, you should be included in any meetings and planning about their care and discharge. If you have a Lasting Power of Attorney (Health and Welfare), you will need to make ward staff aware of this and they will need to see the original.
What about the Carer’s Charter?
The Carers Charter covers all hospitals in Bristol and South Gloucestershire and was developed in consultation with carers. It sets out what you can expect from them as a carer.
Carers’ input was vital in developing the Carers Charter that covers all hospitals in Bristol and South Glos. It sets out what you can expect from them as a carer and covers the following:
- recognising carers as equal partners in care
- supporting carers
- sharing information
- young carers
- discharge
More information about the Carers Charter from North Bristol NHS Trust
Can I get help with car parking costs?
Both Southmead Hospital and the BRI run carers support schemes, which includes discounted parking.
If you spend a minimum of three hours per day or the equivalent of 20 hours or more over a seven-day period at Southmead providing support to a patient, you may be entitled to a complimentary car parking permit and access to the staff restaurant.
At BRI, Discounted parking will be offered if a carer is supporting the patient for longer than two hours; however, parking availability is limited.
To find out more about the Carer Support Schemes, ask on the ward, talk to our Hospital Liaison Workers or visit the Trusts’ websites:
- Find out more about Southmead Hospital’s Carers Support Scheme
- Find out more about the BRI’s Carers Information Scheme
The person I care for has dementia. How will being in hospital will affect them?
Hospital admissions can be unsettling for people affected by memory loss or dementia, but there are things that can help.
You can ask to complete an ‘All About Me’ form. This provides staff with information about the person you care for. It helps the ward to understand the person you care for and how best to communicate with them. For example, it could include information about what they like to be called and their normal routines.
A visual identification system, the Forget-Me-Not, is used in the hospital to make all staff aware that someone has a diagnosis of dementia, or has a current cognitive impairment. These will be displayed on the patient board, by the bedside and in patient notes.
If the person you care for is agitated, ask about a twiddle muff. These are knitted/ crocheted muffs and blankets, which provide a source of visual, tactile and sensory stimulation.
You can also ask to speak to a member of the Hospital Dementia Team. Both local Trusts have dementia teams with medical, nursing and training leads, who support patients with dementia and their families.
BRI Dementia Team
- 0117 342 1708
- Dementia.Team@uhbw.nhs.uk
Southmead Hospital Dementia Team
- 0117 414 9066
- Dementiacare@nbt.nhs.uk
Both Trusts fully support John’s Campaign. Carers of people with dementia have the choice to stay in hospital with the person they care for. If you would like to stay on the ward, please let the ward staff know and they should be happy to accommodate you.
A sudden hospital admission
If someone has been perfectly well, and then suddenly admitted to hospital you are likely to be in shock and be experiencing all kinds of emotions and feelings.
You may be facing important decisions and considering taking on this caring role for the first time without knowing what to expect.
Remember that it is your choice whether or not to take on a caring role. It’s important to think about the amount of support you are able to provide and what help you might need. Consider how your caring role is likely to affect your life and wellbeing and the impact it will have on your own time, work and relationships.
There may be lots of practical things to sort out, like money and work as well as dealing with the emotional impact of caring. It’s important to think about your own health and to get support for yourself. You may need to talk to your employer, get benefits advice, get some practical support and find someone you can talk to about your own feelings.
Remember Carers Support Centre’s CarersLine is here to listen and help:
CarersLine is open:
Monday to Friday: 10 am – 1 pm
Monday to Thursday: 2 pm – 4 pm
(Closed on Bank Holidays)
0117 965 2200
carersline@carerssupportcentre.org.uk
An answerphone operates outside of these hours and your call will be returned when the helpline next opens.
Alternatively, use our contact form to receive a personal reply the same or the next working day.
What will happen after the person I care for is discharged?
Hospitals start discharge planning as soon as someone is admitted to the hospital.
Once the person you care for is considered fit to be discharged, it will be decided whether they need a further period of assessment in a nursing home, rehabilitation in a community-based setting or are well enough to return home with or without support.
Carers should be included in these decisions. You should not be expected to take on additional caring or become a carer for the first time without discussion and agreement. During these discussions, it’s important to be clear and realistic about what you can and can’t do in your caring role.
What if the person I care for is in hospital as a result of their mental health?
If the person you care for is a voluntary patient they are free to leave if they want to.
However, if they are detained under the Mental Health Act there are special rules that apply to the discharge procedure. There should be a meeting to assess the support they are going to need in a community setting. They may be referred to the Community Mental Health Team (CMHT). If they are under 18 they may be referred to the Child and Adolescents Mental Health Service (CAMHS). If they are over 65 they may be referred to the older person Community Mental Health Team (CMHT).
If the person you care for has long-term complex needs they may come under something called the Care Programme Approach (CPA). As a carer, you should be involved in this as long as the person that you care for consents. The CPA means that the person should have regular reviews of their care plan and the support of a Care Programme coordinator amongst other things. Find out more about the CPA on the Mind website.
Discharge under the Mental Health Act can be complicated. If you feel you need extra support and information contact a specialist mental health charity like Mind or Rethink.
What if I need to make a complaint?
If you wish to make a complaint or raise a concern about a hospital admission or discharge, you can speak to the Patient Advisory and Liaison Service at the relevant NHS Trust:
Further help and advice
Download our Hospital Admission Checklist
Page last updated 17.08.23
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