You should be discharged from the ward by 11:00. If you cannot go straight home at that time for any reason, we will ask you to wait in the patient lounge, which is on the ground floor of the hospital. This is to let the next patient be admitted to the ward while we are completing the final arrangements for you. You can wait here to be collected by hospital transport and your 'take-home' medicines. It may take time for all your medications to arrive from the pharmacy so please be prepared to wait for an average time of one hour. The patient lounge offers hot and cold beverages, snacks, light meals, television and magazines, access to toilets, and nursing support.
Please note that your discharge will usually be led by the nurse and you may not always get to see your consultant on the day you leave.
Patient lounge locations and opening times:
- University College Hospital, ground floor, atrium
Monday to Friday, 08:00 - 20:00
Saturday, 10:00 - 18:00 - National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, ground floor, main corridor
09:30 - 17:30 - University College Hospital at Westmoreland Street, ground floor near the main entrance
08:30 - 17:30
Taxis can be arranged at the reception desk or patient lounge, but you will have to pay for them.
Hospital transport is only provided for those who for medical reasons are unable to use other forms of transport. An assessment will be carried out to see if you meet the eligibility criteria.