Leaving hospital
On your discharge from hospital, you will be referred back to your GP (family doctor) for ongoing care if you need it. Your GP is a member of a large team - the Primary Health Care Team. If you need the support and advice of one or more of the team members, you will be referred to them.
If you need nursing care at home, your Named Nurse will notify your District Nurse. You will be given a letter to hand to the District Nurse when she/he visits. Someone from the District Nursing team will collect you within 24 hours of your discharge, unless some other arrangement has been made.
Any information for the Health Visitor will be collected from the ward by the Nursing Liaison team and forwarded to her by them. You may, however, be asked to make an appointment with the practice nurse at your GP's surgery.
Should you wish or need to contact the District Nurse or Health Visitor, simply telephone your doctor's surgery, as all the Community Nurses work very closely with GPs.
Before you leave hospital you will be told about the treatment, support and advice you will receive from members of the Primary Health Care Team. This will follow your personal care plan, with which you will have been involved during your stay. If, for example, you are in need of continuing physiotherapy, appointments for treatment at the hospital will have to be made, or a referral sent to the community service.
Gifts and donations
The West Suffolk Hospitals NHS Trust does not usually appeal directly for funds, but if you would like to make a donation it will be gratefully received. The money will be placed in an Endowment Fund, quite separate from the money received form the Government, and used to purchase extra items of equipment, or provide additional amenities for patients or staff. Such donations should be given to the cashier in the Administration Department (or ask the Nurse in Charge to do this for you) and you will be given a receipt. Staff are not allowed to accept gifts of money personally, but if you would like your donation to specifically benefit them it would be helpful if you could tell the cashier.
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