Your Discharge
Before leaving the ward, please ensure you go to the Nurses' Desk to collect any of your medications or prescriptions to be filled at your local pharmacy. Any X-rays brought with you will be returned, where possible. If you have had sedation or a general anaesthetic, you will need to be accompanied home by a responsible adult.
Dublin
Discharge Planning Leaflet | Mater Private Network Dublin (pdf) | 175KBCork
Discharge Planning Leaflet | Mater Private Network Cork (pdf) | 158KBBefore your admission, talk to your consultant about how you will be feeling day-to-day following your procedure or stay. This will help you plan ahead for any extra support you might need once you get home. It may also help you decide if you might benefit from some respite care.
Dublin
You will be advised of an estimated or planned discharge date before your arrival but your consultant will finalise your discharge during your stay. If you need any additional support after your discharge and have difficulty in organising it, ask to talk with a member of our social work team who will support you to put plans in place.
Medication & prescription
On discharge, changes to your medication (dose changes, discontinued medications, newly prescribed medications) will be explained to you. Any remaining medication from the supply you brought with you, will be returned.
Discharge review
Before you leave hospital, the nursing and healthcare team will complete your discharge. This will happen either on the ward or in the patient lounge. We will explain the information that you need to continue your recovery, complete your notes and answer any questions you have. The discharge review includes:
- Prescriptions and medications
- Wound care
- Follow-up appointments
- Pain management
- Who to contact in case of emergency or concerns
- Reports for general practitioner (GP), public health nurse etc
- Medical certificate
- Return to normal activities and work advice
Cork
To help you plan ahead and prepare for your discharge, you should be ready to leave by 11am unless alternative arrangements have been agreed with the director of nursing / nurse in charge. Please ask as many questions as you need to plan your discharge and if there is anything you feel you need help with, please let us know so that we can assist if possible. If it is identified that you will need convalescence, you should liaise with your insurance company to see what cover you are entitled to. Your care team at Mater Private Cork can provide a list of nursing homes if required.
Transport home
Before your admission talk to family, friends or care-givers, to organise your transport home from hospital.
Once your discharge date and time is confirmed, you can then make the final arrangements to be collected from hospital. If you would like to travel by taxi, the ward staff will be happy to help arrange this for you.
Convalescence/home care and home adaptation
If you think you might need additional supports after your discharge, talk to your consultant or any member of the team to help you put these in place.
Delayed discharge
Your consultant will confirm your discharge date. Any request to delay your discharge must be approved by the hospital, and any charges for your extended stay will need to be paid in advance.
We welcome your comments and suggestions regarding any aspect of our care and services. We may ask you to participate in our independently run Net Patient Score (NPS) programme, whereby you will receive a text message after discharge inviting you to provide anonymous feedback regarding your stay.
You can also complete our online Patient Feedback form after you have returned home.
We appreciate your feedback.