Hospital Discharge

What to do if you can't go home from the hospital because your home is unsuitable, or you have no home?

Tell hospital staff immediately if you do not have a suitable home when leaving the hospital. Hospitals have a duty to refer you to Housing Solutions.

Once we receive a referral from the Integrated Hospital Discharge team, we can assess your situation, and you may be offered temporary accommodation. Being in hospital does not automatically guarantee that you will be classed as ‘priority need’ and will be allocated emergency temporary accommodation.

If you are within 56 days of discharge, we will arrange a full housing assessment with you. We work with you and any agency that are supporting you to find accommodation when you are discharged. If this is not possible, we will assess your circumstances and decide whether we owe you a duty to provide emergency temporary accommodation.  

Further information can be found at Hospital discharge service guidance - GOV.UK

Occupational Therapy and Home Adaptations

If you already have a home, but it needs to be adapted, the hospital team may refer you to the Council's home improvement agency, which is responsible for adaptations or disabled facilities grants.

If you are a private tenant, there is a duty for landlords to make reasonable adjustments for tenants with disabilities. However, your landlord does not have to make changes that affect the structure of the building, or which would substantially alter it. 

Is there a charge for adaptations?

If you are a Nottingham City Council Housing Services tenant, adaptations are currently free because the Council, as a landlord, funds the work. If you own your own home or are a private tenant, you may be eligible for a Disabled Facilities Grant to assist you in paying for the adaptations. Disabled Facilities Grants: Overview - GOV.UK

For further advice, or to complete a self-referral you can contact Nottingham Health & Care Point:

• Telephone: 0115 8763330 (Monday to Friday - 9:00am to 5:00pm)
• Visit: Adult Social Care Referral Application

Housing to Health

The Housing to Health project is delivered by Nottingham City Council Housing Services in partnership with NHS Nottingham and Nottinghamshire Integrated Care Board (ICB). The project aims to improve links between housing and health in Nottingham by providing a service to speed up a patients' hospital discharge or working within the community to intervene before individuals are hospitalised due to unsuitable accommodation.
Housing to Health Co-ordinators act as the referral point and are responsible for finding suitable accommodation from Nottingham HomeLink vacant properties. To find out more click here.

Further advice is available at:

• Being discharged from hospital - NHS
• Hospital discharge service guidance - GOV.UK
• Housing Solutions – Please contact us if your home is unsuitable and/or you are being discharged from hospital