When someone is medically ready to leave hospital but needs more help at home than a few short visits, live-in care can support them through the day and be there at night. Pinnacle can assess the person on the ward where possible, plan the care with the discharge team and family, and start when it is safe and a suitable carer is available. We provide personal care and support, not nursing care or reablement.
Key facts
- Fits home first / discharge to assess: support at home while longer-term needs are assessed.
- Ward assessments where the ward agrees.
- Short-term or ongoing live-in care, self-funded or commissioned (discuss with us).
- No guaranteed start times: we confirm after assessing the person's needs.
When live-in care helps after hospital
- The person is medically ready to leave but isn't safe alone for long periods.
- They need help through the day and someone there at night, more than short daily visits can provide.
- Family carers can't provide the level of support needed in the first weeks.
- A short-term placement gives time to assess longer-term needs at home.
Where live-in care fits in discharge pathways
Under the national Hospital discharge and community support guidance (updated 26 January 2024), most people should go home first, with longer-term needs assessed once they have recovered as far as they can. Live-in care is one way to provide new support at home (pathway 1). It does not replace NHS rehabilitation, community nursing or council-arranged reablement, but it can sit alongside them.
How it works
- Early contact: call 01244 457 244 or send a minimum-data referral as soon as discharge is being planned.
- Assessment: on the ward where possible, or at home.
- Plan and price: agreed with the person, the family and the discharge team.
- Start: when it is safe and a suitable carer is available.
- Review: as the person recovers, we adjust the plan or step down the support.
In Chester and Cheshire West
We are based in Blacon, Chester, close to the Countess of Chester Hospital, and support people across Cheshire West and Chester. Live-in care after discharge can also be arranged elsewhere in England after an assessment.
For families
Our hospital discharge checklist explains your rights, the questions to ask the ward and what support is free for up to six weeks.
Frequently asked questions
How quickly can you start after discharge?
It depends on the assessment, the person's needs and carer availability. Contact us as early as possible in the discharge process, ideally when a discharge date is first being discussed.
Do you provide reablement?
No. Reablement is provided by NHS and council teams. Live-in care can sit alongside reablement or community health support, or follow on after it.
Can families refer directly?
Yes. Families can call 01244 457 244 or use our contact page. Our hospital discharge checklist explains what to ask the ward.
What information do you need?
For a first referral only the minimum: your contact details, the person's general location, the type of support and the expected discharge date. We then agree a secure route for anything sensitive.