Home leave occurs when a patient using a bed in a ward spends a period of time outside hospital, usually at home, with the intention of returning to the same type of ward to continue the same consultant episode (hospital provider).
Maximum periods of home leave are as follows:
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a) |
For a psychiatric patient - 28 days. |
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b) |
For all other patients - Saturday, Sunday, NHS, Bank and Public Holidays plus another three days. |
If a patient does not return on the day specified and has failed to make alternative arrangements with hospital staff, such a patient should be considered discharged from that day.
The date on which a patient leaves the ward to go on home leave closes the preceding ward stay.