Hello
I have a close relative who has been in hospital for a few weeks. She has dementia and has deteriorated in hospital both physically and mentally to the point where she needs to move to a care/nursing home. The hospital wants to discharge her. The social worker involved is suggesting that it is our responsibility to find such a home, and is clearly trying to chivvy us along faster than we are prepared to go (we know nothing about finding a care home, and the financial situation is messy, so we want to take our own good time).
I have spent a great deal of time in recent days reading up on the law related to discharge procedures, CHC assessments (via statutes, case law, and NHS framework guidance), and so on, but I can find no legal authority that states that a relative of a person being discharged must assume responsibility for finding a care home place.
So my question is: does anyone know definitively what is the legal position here, and can quote a specific piece of law one way or the other? Also does the position differ if the relative has some form of power-of-attorney?
My feeling is that there is no such legal responsibility placed on relatives, and indeed, if they were so minded, a relative could refuse to take any part in the discharge procedure, but I'd like to know for sure.
I have a close relative who has been in hospital for a few weeks. She has dementia and has deteriorated in hospital both physically and mentally to the point where she needs to move to a care/nursing home. The hospital wants to discharge her. The social worker involved is suggesting that it is our responsibility to find such a home, and is clearly trying to chivvy us along faster than we are prepared to go (we know nothing about finding a care home, and the financial situation is messy, so we want to take our own good time).
I have spent a great deal of time in recent days reading up on the law related to discharge procedures, CHC assessments (via statutes, case law, and NHS framework guidance), and so on, but I can find no legal authority that states that a relative of a person being discharged must assume responsibility for finding a care home place.
So my question is: does anyone know definitively what is the legal position here, and can quote a specific piece of law one way or the other? Also does the position differ if the relative has some form of power-of-attorney?
My feeling is that there is no such legal responsibility placed on relatives, and indeed, if they were so minded, a relative could refuse to take any part in the discharge procedure, but I'd like to know for sure.