Before they're discharged, ask
- What's the plan, and who do we call? Get the written care plan and the crisis-team number, including out of hours.
- What medication information do they need? Ask who to contact about side effects, missed doses or other concerns.
- What is the follow-up plan? Ask who will follow up, when and how. In England, adult mental-health inpatient discharge should be followed up within 72 hours. Elsewhere, ask for the local follow-up timetable. Record who to contact if the planned contact does not happen.
Follow-up differs across the UK. The 72-hour target stated above is NHS England guidance, not a UK-wide rule. Wherever they are being discharged, ask the ward to confirm the expected contact and any local aftercare arrangements in writing. If support falls through, see what to do when services aren't helping, or use urgent mental-health help for your UK nation if their safety cannot wait.
You can take these questions into the meeting using the meeting-notes option, then record who will do what next.[1]
Arrange the first day at home
If the hospital is far from home, ask the ward and local team to agree who is arranging the journey, whether someone needs to accompany them, and who takes over care when they arrive. Tell staff if you cannot collect them or provide the support being assumed. The far-from-home hospital guidance covers keeping local services involved and asking about contact and travel.
Before leaving, check transport, keys, food, medication supplies and written instructions. Confirm the next appointment and a number for questions about the discharge plan. Ask who will explain anything the person is unsure about.
Medicines for supporters brings together questions about side effects, missed doses, lithium and clozapine.
Write down who has actually agreed to help and when. A plan that just says “family support” is not enough if everyone is working, lives elsewhere or cannot provide that care. Tell the ward about the gap before discharge and ask what arrangement will cover it.
If agreed help does not arrive, contact the discharging ward or named community team. Say what is missing, when it is needed and what the person cannot safely manage without it. Ask who will resolve it and when they will call back. If their health or safety worsens, use urgent help; the 72-hour follow-up target is not a reason to wait.
If nobody can provide essential care, use the guide to asking for support when there is no backup.[2]
Ask whether Section 117 aftercare applies
Some people who were detained for treatment under the Mental Health Act have a legal right to free mental-health aftercare. This includes people detained under Section 3 and some court or prison sections. The person's needs should be assessed before discharge and the services should be set out in a care plan.
Ask: “Are they entitled to Section 117 aftercare, and which parts of this plan are being provided under it?” It should not be charged for. If you think an eligible aftercare service is being charged for, the NHS advises getting legal advice.
If the plan is unclear or home does not feel safe
Say this before discharge. Ask who has considered housing, support at home, access to medication, substance use, risks to the person and risks to anyone they live with. Ask for the concern and response to be recorded.
If a current problem is not being resolved, PALS may help. The when services say no guide explains the complaints route.
Keep gently in touch
Keep in touch without hovering. Send a message that needs no reply, arrange a regular phone call or offer practical help such as bringing some shopping.
Make the plan while it's calm
During a calmer period, agree what you will both do if things get worse again. Fill in the crisis plan together so you have the early signs, what helps and who to call in one place.
Watch for the early signs
Warning signs differ from person to person. They might include changes in sleep, withdrawing, missed medication or appointments, or speech becoming more hopeless or unusually confident. Agree how they want you to mention a change you notice.
What to do in the first 72 hours
Keep the crisis number and discharge information nearby. Check that they know when medication is due and how follow-up will happen. If the team does not make the planned contact, call the number on the discharge plan. If their condition or risk gets worse and you cannot reach the team, use the urgent-help route rather than waiting for an appointment.
And you?
A crisis can affect you too. Visit Support for you or speak to your own GP if you are struggling.
Sources and how this guide was written
NHS England guidance covers the 72-hour follow-up after adult mental-health inpatient discharge in England. Section 117 information applies to people entitled to that aftercare. Arrangements differ elsewhere in the UK.
Before they're discharged
NHS England says people discharged from adult mental-health inpatient services should be followed up within 72 hours.Arrange the first day at home
NHS: planning to leave hospital.
Last full source check: 27 August 2026
Far-from-home discharge questions checked: 7 October 2026.
Later checks: First-day arrangements and resource routes checked: 1 October 2026.
Independent information, not a medical or crisis service. This guidance has not been clinically reviewed. How we use sources.
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