What should I ask before a family member is discharged from hospital?

Ask about medicine changes, equipment, follow-up appointments, warning signs, who to contact after hours and whether a Transition Care Program referral has been made.

What is the Transition Care Program in Queensland?

It is short-term, goal-focused support for older people after a hospital stay, generally for up to 12 weeks, at home or in an aged care setting.

How do I get a TCP referral on the Gold Coast?

Ask the hospital social worker, discharge planner or treating team. Referrals come from public and private hospitals and need an aged care assessment approval.

Can I get help at home straight after discharge?

Yes. Private home care and nursing can be arranged for the first days or weeks, including while waiting for TCP or Support at Home funding.

What documents should I get when leaving hospital?

A discharge summary, care plan, medication list and prescriptions, follow-up appointment details and contacts for arranged services.

Carer guides

Leaving hospital on the Gold Coast: a family discharge checklist

By Loving Hands Care · 15 October 2026 · 7 min read

Bedroom prepared for a return from hospital with adjustable bed and walking frame

Good discharge planning is one of the best ways to avoid a return trip to hospital. Queensland Health encourages families to start planning early and to take part in decisions with the treating team — not on the morning of discharge.

This hospital discharge checklist is written for families on the Gold Coast, with notes on Gold Coast University Hospital and the local Transition Care Program. Print it, tick it off, and keep it in one folder.

Before discharge day: who does what

Gold Coast Health advises that discharge times vary and aims to discharge patients in the morning where possible, so arrange transport and someone to stay for the first day. See the Gold Coast Health leaving hospital guide (opens in new tab).

Nominate one main family contact to receive updates and attend training.
Describe the home honestly: stairs, bathroom access, pets, falls risks and whether the person lives alone.
Be realistic about how much help family can give each day.
Give staff the correct GP, pharmacy and substitute decision-maker details.

Documents to collect before you leave

Discharge summary or letter (a copy also goes to the GP)
Care plan and any wound or mobility instructions
Current medication list and prescriptions
Follow-up appointment details with GP, specialists and allied health
Contacts for any community services that have been arranged

Medicines: the questions that matter

Medication changes are a common cause of problems after discharge. Ask the ward pharmacist or nurse to go through the list line by line.

What is new, what has changed and what should stop?
Exact doses and times, and what to do if a dose is missed
Side effects to watch for
Who organises repeats, and are medicines supplied before leaving?

Discharge folder, pill organiser, glasses and car key on a timber table — Keep everything in one discharge folder: plan, medicines, appointments and contacts.

Equipment and home set-up

Make sure equipment such as walking frames, shower chairs, commodes or a hospital bed is ordered, delivered and set up before the person arrives home. Ask for hands-on carer training for transfers, showering, continence or wound care if you will be helping.

If it helps, our hospital-to-home transition care service can organise home set-up, transport home and support in the first weeks.

The Transition Care Program on the Gold Coast

The Transition Care Program (TCP) offers short-term, goal-focused support for older people after a hospital stay, at home or in an aged care setting, generally for up to 12 weeks. Its aim is to restore function and give families time to arrange longer-term care.

On the Gold Coast, TCP is based at the Southport Health Precinct and accepts referrals from public and private hospitals. An aged care assessment approval is needed, so ask the social worker or discharge planner about a referral early. Details are on the Gold Coast Health Transition Care Program page (opens in new tab).

TCP is not guaranteed and can have a waiting period, so ask what care will be in place between discharge and TCP starting.

10 questions to ask the ward team

What still needs to happen before discharge?
Has a TCP referral been made, and is an aged care assessment needed?
Will TCP be at home, in residential care, or both?
What goals will TCP or rehabilitation focus on?
What care is available until TCP starts?
Which equipment and services will be ready on day one?
Who is our named contact after discharge, including after hours?
What follow-up is booked with the GP and specialists?
Are there any costs or contributions?
Can we have the medication list, care plan and contacts in writing?

When to seek help after discharge

Ask the team which symptoms mean calling the GP and which need urgent care. Queensland Health advises contacting your GP or returning to hospital if the condition does not improve. In an emergency, call 000. For non-urgent advice, 13 HEALTH (13 43 25 84) is available 24/7 — see the Queensland Government leaving hospital page (opens in new tab).

Nursing visits in the first weeks can catch problems early. Learn about post-hospital nursing supports and our community nursing services.

Sources

This article is general information, current at 15 October 2026. Check your own situation with your GP, My Aged Care or DVA.