Hertfordshire County Council provides a social care service in the main hospitals in the county, offering information, help and advice.
How we can help
We can answer some enquiries on the spot. If other agencies are better able to help you, we will tell you about them.
You may want to talk to someone about your difficulties or worries. We will arrange for one of our team to see you to discuss your needs and whether the hospital social work team can help. You can, if you wish, have a friend, relative or someone else with you to speak on your behalf.
We work closely with hospital staff and will consult your doctors, nurses and other people involved in your care and treatment. We may also, if you agree, talk with your relatives, friends and carers.
Where necessary we will arrange services to help you and explain any charges that may be made for these services.
(For example, everybody pays something towards the cost of care in residential or nursing homes and, depending on their income and expenses, some people may be asked to pay towards the cost of home care and day services.)
The hospital social worker’s involvement is usually short term –while you are in hospital and for the first 6 weeks or so after you have been discharged. Any service that is arranged while you are in hospital will be regularly reviewed by our colleagues in the area teams to make sure it continues to be suitable for your needs.
If you do not live in Hertfordshire and need more than just quick advice or information, your local Social Services Department can be contacted on your behalf.
For details of teams in each hospital click on the blue links below:
Note: If you are admitted to hospital in an emergency, leaving a pet at home, and there is no one else who can make arrangements for the care of the pet, a hospital social worker can make the arrangements for you. You will be responsible for the cost.
A person claiming benefits who is admitted to hospital must notify the local authority that deals with their claims for housing and council tax benefit.
