When the person you care for is admitted to the hospital, it can be a very busy and challenging time for you. As well as dealing with all the feelings and thoughts that may be coming up, there will be practical aspects to deal with, and the responsibility for those tasks can often fall to you.
Here we’ve put together a practical checklist so you can feel prepared and know who you might need to inform if the person you care for is admitted to hospital.
Feeling prepared
If the person you care for has been admitted to hospital, it can be very useful to have certain information to hand before you let particular people and agencies know any details. Having a single piece of paper readily available, a file on your computer or a place on your phone where you store this information can help you feel more prepared.
The full name and date of birth of the person you care for will be vital, and their National Insurance (NI) number may be necessary at times. If you call the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) on behalf of the person you care for, they will want your NI number as well. You will need the name and address of the hospital where they have been admitted, and the name of the ward sometimes too. If the person you care for has been moved from an assessment ward to another setting for further treatment, you will need the names and addresses of each different place.
Keeping a track of key dates, like the date the person you care for was first admitted to hospital, the date they came home or the date they were moved to another setting, for example, is all useful information that may be required by certain agencies. Noting these dates, and any key events that take place, will also help you later on to have a clear picture of what happened and when.
You might also want to store the contact details of people you meet along the way. Knowing the names of key health professionals, their particular role in the treatment of the person you care for, and their contact details, can be very useful and help you feel more organised and empowered during this time when a lot of new information may be coming at you. Sometimes it can feel very daunting to ask questions about someone’s name or their role in a hospital setting or other professional environment, and our self-advocacy resources are there to support you in feeling more confident.
Carers Checklist
If you look after someone who needs your help because of a disability or long term ill health condition, it is important to know your rights to access support for you as well as the
person you look after.
Who do you need to inform about a hospital admission?
Below we take you through who to contact when the person you care for is admitted to hospital, and why it’s important to let them know.
Informing close family and friends that the person you care for has been admitted to hospital can be supportive for everyone. If the person you care for has an emergency care plan in place, there may also be designated emergency contacts they would like you to inform as well. Keeping close family and friends aware of what’s going on helps you maintain a strong support network that may be more important to you now more than ever. Trusted family and friends can offer emotional support, practical help, and may also be able to assist with making important decisions if needed. Simple things too, like asking someone to create a friends and family WhatsApp group and take responsibility for keeping everyone informed with updates where necessary, can help take some of the pressure off you when your energy is needed elsewhere.
If the person you care for has appointed someone else with power of attorney, they should be informed so they can be part of managing any necessary decisions during the hospital stay.
It’s a good idea to let all the relevant medical and health care professionals know when the person you care for is admitted to hospital. It can help everyone to ‘join the dots’ and ensure that the person you care for receives consistent and coordinated medical attention. Informing your GP and any other care providers who support the person you care for, like a physiotherapists, occupational therapists and/or district nurses, will help to keep them updated on the situation, and they can reschedule any appointments where necessary. If the person you care for receives home care services, letting the agency know about the hospital admission will allow them to adjust or pause their services as needed, and will keep discussions open about any changes to their needs in the future.
If the person you care for has a social worker or a key care coordinator, informing them about the hospital admission means they will be able to support you both when it’s time for them to be discharged, and ensure continuity of care. They can also help you understand how a personal budget and any direct payments made to either of you might be affected, especially if the person you care for stays in hospital for a long period.
The Department of Work and Pensions oversees lots of benefit payments, so it’s important to let them know about the person you care for being admitted to hospital if it’s for more than one night. Some benefits, including Disability Living Allowance (DLA), Personal Independence Payment (PIP) and Attendance Allowance, can be affected if someone is admitted to hospital so it’s always worth checking your individual situation.
Disability benefits can stop after someone has been in a hospital or a care home for 28 days, and if disability benefits stop for the person you’re caring for, it’s important to be aware that this will also affect your Carer’s Allowance. If the person you care for receives housing benefit, their local council will need to know, although it’s very unlikely it will affect their benefit unless the hospital stay is longer than 52 weeks.
Some hospitals have onsite benefits advisors who can offer advice and support in all these areas, so calling them to check, or visiting the information desk usually found in the main hospital entrance area is the best place to start if you’d like some extra help.
Depending on how long the person you care for is in hospital, and on their particular financial situation, it might be necessary to inform their bank. If important payments need to be made or if there are any direct debits or standing orders that need to be managed, there are different options available.
Someone with proven power of attorney or a court order can help manage someone’s financial affairs, or a bank or building society can give someone else, like a carer, limited access to their accounts using what’s called a ‘third-party mandate’. Speaking to the person you care for and contacting their bank will help you get clearer on the processes involved.
If the person you care for lives in rented accommodation, it can be helpful to inform their landlord or housing association about the situation. This can help prevent misunderstandings and ensure the property is managed appropriately during their absence. If the hospital stay is expected to be lengthy, or the person you care for is moving from hospital into a long-term residential setting, it can be a good idea to inform their utility providers, like electricity, gas, water and broadband, to discuss any necessary arrangements regarding billing and services.
You will need to have power of attorney or have been granted consent to manage their account, and consent can sometimes be given over the phone. It’s best to contact the individual provider to explain the situation and then ask for advice regarding their particular procedures and requirements.
If the person you care for is in work, their employer should be informed about their hospital admission. A ‘fit note’ signed by a healthcare professional (this used to be called a ‘sick note’) may be required to prove they’ve been in hospital and this can also avoid confusion over any contractual sick pay, or Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) they might be eligible for.
If the person you care for is in education, letting the school, college or university know can also be very helpful. They may be able to offer alternative provision, or extend deadlines if necessary.
The person you care for may also require ‘reasonable adjustments’ or extra support in order to do their job or to access their education when they are discharged from hospital, and letting employers or education providers know in advance can ensure what is needed is put in place.
Why it’s important to let others know when the person you care for is admitted to hospital
This proactive approach helps the person you care for to maintain their access to important benefits, their home and other important services, preventing complications later on. It can also mean a smoother transition back to their normal routine after they have been discharged.
You are not alone
Not everyone will need to be informed right away, and reaching out to a trusted friend or family member within your support network who can take over some of the practical work of putting others in the picture is also a great idea. As a carer, pacing yourself and seeking support from others will be key to maintaining your own wellbeing and will prevent you feeling overwhelmed during such a busy and potentially stressful time.
When the person you care for is admitted to hospital, you should never feel as if you are alone or that all the responsibility is solely on you. Our other resources for carers, including An Introduction to the hospital discharge process, and Identifying myself as a carer when the person I care for is admitted to hospital, can be found here.
Financial support
If you are at all worried about finances at this stage, you are not alone. Many carers say that they worried about money when they were suddenly not able to work full-time, for example, or needed to make expensive alterations to their home. It’s important to know that there is financial support available from your Local Authority in the form of benefits and grants. Our article on Getting financial support as a carer is a detailed guide to receiving the support you are entitled to.
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Online Help and Advice
Visit our online support section where we have provided advice and guidance on a range of relevant topics to help you in your caring role.