Leaving Queen's Hospital in Romford for a nursing home: the discharge process for Havering families

What happens, in order

Queen's Hospital on Rom Valley Way is the main acute hospital for Romford and Havering, run by Barking, Havering and Redbridge University Hospitals NHS Trust. Patients leave as soon as they are medically fit, and the national model for this is discharge to assess. Where home is not yet safe, the discharge team looks for a care home bed or a short-term rehabilitation bed, and the assessments come afterwards: Havering on needs and finances, the NHS on Continuing Healthcare. Ashbrook Nursing Home in Collier Row, north of Romford town centre, is suitable as direct step-down from hospital, subject to assessment and availability.

The people you will meet

Expect to deal with four groups. Ward doctors decide the person is medically fit. Therapists look at walking, transfers and what equipment is needed. The discharge team, called the transfer of care hub at some hospitals, finds the next step and knows which homes have vacancies. A social worker or care coordinator then carries out the Care Act 2014 assessment for the council where the person normally lives. Collier Row, Romford, Harold Hill, Gidea Park, Hornchurch and Upminster all come under Havering. Chadwell Heath is split between Havering and Redbridge, and Brentwood belongs to Essex County Council, so confirm which one has been told.

Discharge to assess in practice

Nobody will keep a hospital bed open while a family compares homes. Discharge to assess means moving first, often into whichever suitable bed comes up, with the longer-term decision made in the weeks that follow. Put two questions to the discharge team early: who funds the first period, NHS or council, and for how long; and which homes have a bed that fits. Then see the home in person. Ring Ashbrook as soon as discharge is mentioned so we can talk through what is available and arrange an assessment.

Rehabilitation or permanent care

After a fall, a fractured hip, pneumonia or a stroke, plenty of people leaving Queen's are not ready for home but do not need a permanent place either. A few weeks of nursing and therapy may be enough. That is what rehabilitation and recovery care at Ashbrook is for, with a care plan shaped with the GP and other healthcare professionals and reviewed as progress is made. The purpose-built home has 70 single en-suite rooms, with a patio and a gazebo to get out to as strength returns. Should home prove unrealistic, the question of permanent care can be settled calmly, with the person already in a room they know, which is kinder than deciding on a ward in an afternoon.

What to gather for Ashbrook

• A copy of the discharge summary and current medication chart.
• Notes from the therapists on walking, standing and transfers, plus any need for a hoist, profiling bed or pressure-relieving mattress.
• Any ReSPECT form, treatment escalation plan or resuscitation decision.
• Names and numbers for the GP, the social worker and the main family contact.
• The result of any Continuing Healthcare checklist.

Our assessment uses these to decide whether Ashbrook can meet the person's needs and which room suits. Ask us to confirm the weekly fee in writing before transport is arranged.

Who pays after discharge

A resident who needs a registered nurse has £267.68 a week paid to Ashbrook by the NHS in 2026/27, and the fee falls by that amount. Full funding through NHS Continuing Healthcare is possible when health needs are complex, intense or unpredictable; the ward can do the checklist before discharge if you ask. For everyone else, Havering applies the 2026/27 capital limits of £23,250 and £14,250, ignores the house for the first twelve weeks and offers a deferred payment agreement if it then has to be counted. The group's funding guide covers each route.

Getting from Queen's to Ashbrook

Ashbrook is at 217 to 219 Chase Cross Road, Collier Row, Romford RM5 3XS. From Queen's on Rom Valley Way, drive through Romford town centre and north towards Collier Row. Relatives further out can use the A12, the A127 or junction 28 of the M25. Romford station on the Elizabeth line is about two miles south of the home.

The first week

Coming out of hospital usually leaves a person tired and weaker than before. Rest, drinking enough, regular meals and getting dressed matter most at first. After that, the bistro and the patio give them somewhere to go beyond their room. Find out when the care plan will first be reviewed with you, and come as often as you can that week. To ask about a place or book a visit, call 01708 736588 or use the contact form.