Hospital Discharge Support

Helping You Return Home Safely and Comfortably

Leaving hospital can be a big step — and we’re here to help make that step easier.

The Hospital Discharge Support Project is designed to support residents in Epping Forest and Harlow as they leave hospital, ensuring the process is safe, timely, and as stress-free as possible.

We believe that planning for discharge should begin as early as possible, ideally from the day of admission.

How We Help

Your journey home starts with one simple question:
“What do you need help with?”

Our friendly team of staff and volunteers work closely with hospitals and partner organisations to support you and your loved ones ensuring a joined up approach to supporting you maintain your independence — making sure you’re confident, comfortable and prepared to return home.

What We Can Offer

Here are some of the ways we can support you:

• Set up a hot meal delivery service
• Regular welfare phone calls after discharge
• Move furniture or do essential home tasks to prepare your home for your return
• Install a key safe for carers or emergency services to access your home if needed
• Install personal alarms or assistive tech to help you feel safer and more independent

How to Get Support

You can self-refer or refer someone you care for — it’s quick and secure.

Complete our Online Referral Form
Once we receive your details, a team member will be in touch to discuss how we can help.

Get in Touch

Need more information or just want to speak to someone?

📧 Email: dischargesupport@westessexcan.org
📱 Call: 01279 260 765

Let us help you feel ready, supported, and safe when it’s time to go home.

Impact / Case Study

How WECAN’s Hospital Discharge Support Made a Life-Saving Difference

Ms X, aged 92 and living alone in Harlow, was discharged from hospital without a care package in place. With her daughter living over two hours away, she had no immediate local support. The WECAN Hospital Discharge Support team stepped in to help facilitate a safe discharge, checking that her key safe was working and arranging daily hot meal deliveries. To provide further reassurance, especially to her daughter, the team also offered weekly welfare calls for six weeks.

During the first call, Ms X mentioned she hadn’t heard back about her physiotherapy appointment, which the team followed up on her behalf. However, during the second week’s call, she didn’t answer. After multiple failed attempts to reach her, and learning that her daughter also hadn’t been able to make contact (which was unusual), the team trusted their instincts and carried out an unplanned welfare check.

Using the key safe to access the property, they found Ms X upstairs, wedged between a bed and a cabinet, she had been on the floor for two nights, unable to get up or call for help. One team member stayed with her and called 999, while the other contacted her daughter and gathered essentials for her hospital stay. They also secured the property before leaving.

The following day, our Acute Social Prescriber visited Ms X in hospital to offer further support and talk through options like a pendant alarm. The incident highlighted significant safety risks in her home, including clutter and lack of mobility aids upstairs.

Without WECAN’s intervention, Ms X could have remained undiscovered for even longer, with potentially tragic consequences. This case is a powerful example of how WECAN’s responsive, person-centred approach provides more than just practical help, it offers safety, dignity and peace of mind for vulnerable individuals and their families.

Funded by:

We gratefully acknowledge the generous support of our funders, including the organisations below.