Social Work support whilst in hospital

The hospital social work team work with hospital staff across South Lanarkshire to help plan a safe return home or arrange the right support if you cannot go home straight away. If the ward team feels you need social care or social work support, they will refer you to our Hospital Social Work Team. We will then work with you, your family and hospital staff to plan what happens next.

How the referral works

The hospital ward refers your case by phone, detailing your situation and care needs. After receiving the referral, our team coordinates with local services to support your discharge or assigns a social worker for an in-hospital assessment. We focus on your priorities and the support required for a safe discharge.

What happens next

Every patient leaving hospital follows one of two discharge pathways.

Pathway 2: Assessment at home or home with a package of support

If you can return home, we will carry out a home assessment shortly after you leave hospital.

This helps us understand what support you may need once you are home.

In some cases, short‑term care may start immediately when you leave hospital. We will review this once you have settled at home and make changes if needed.

Pathway 3: Assessment before discharge

If you are not able to return home straight away, a social worker will meet you in hospital for a full assessment.

We will agree the next steps with you and coordinate your discharge arrangements. This may include short‑term care in another setting while decisions about longer‑term support are made.

Contact us

If you need more information about your local social work offfice, you can find contact details in our directory