Hospital Discharge Pathway
We make discharge easier. Assessment within 24 hours. Admission within 48.
We Understand Discharge Pressure
You have a patient who is medically fit for discharge but cannot go home. The bed is needed. The family is anxious. The CHC assessment is not yet complete. We have seen this hundreds of times, and we know exactly what you need: a specialist care home that responds quickly, assesses thoroughly, and admits without unnecessary delay.
King's Lodge has beds available now. We accept referrals while funding is still being arranged. We send our clinical team to assess on your ward. And we aim to have a clear suitability decision within 48 hours of first contact.
Our Discharge Pathway
Referral Received
Call us on 01737 822221 or submit a referral form. We acknowledge every referral within 24 hours. Provide whatever clinical information you have available; we do not require a complete package to start the process.
Pre-admission Assessment
Our Clinical Lead or a senior nurse visits the patient on your ward. We assess clinical needs, equipment requirements, and compatibility. This visit is at no cost and no obligation.
Suitability Decision
We provide a clear, honest answer. If we can meet the person's needs, we confirm and begin admission planning. If we cannot, we will tell you why and, where possible, suggest alternatives.
Admission
Room prepared, equipment sourced, medication chart transferred, and care plan initiated. The patient arrives to a named nurse, a prepared room, and a team that already knows their needs.
What We Need From You
To assess quickly, send us whatever you have. A complete package speeds things up, but we can work with partial information initially.
Essential (for assessment)
- Patient name, date of birth, NHS number
- Primary diagnosis and co-morbidities
- Current care needs summary
- Mobility and communication status
- Referrer contact details
Helpful (speeds admission)
- Discharge summary or medical notes
- Current medication chart (MAR)
- Decision Support Tool (if CHC)
- Behavioural or risk assessments
- Equipment requirements list
- MUST score / Waterlow assessment
Emergency & Same-Day Admissions
For patients requiring emergency placement, we can often admit on the same day. This applies in situations such as:
- Safeguarding concerns requiring immediate removal from current setting
- Acute bed pressures where delayed discharge poses clinical risk
- Breakdown of existing care arrangement
- Step-down from ICU/HDU where specialist ongoing care is required
For emergency placements, call us directly on 01737 822221.
Funding Does Not Need to Be Confirmed
CHC assessments, local authority panels, and funding decisions take time. We know that. We will accept a referral and begin the assessment process before funding is confirmed. We work alongside commissioning teams to ensure a smooth handover and can provide the clinical evidence needed for funding decisions.
For more information on how CHC works with King's Lodge, see our NHS Continuing Healthcare page.