Help in and out of hospital

How can the hospital social work department help me?

We can help by assessing your needs to decide what services you might need and be entitled after treatment in hospital. 

How are my needs assessed?

• someone from the council will talk to you and, if you agree, will also talk to the person who cares for you and (in some cases) your doctor, about your needs
• once your needs have been assessed we will write down exactly what has been agreed in a Care Plan
• the Care Plan will be reviewed from time to time to make sure that it still meets your needs

What help can I get?

We can help by assessing your needs to decide what services you might need and be entitled after treatment in hospital.

The main services we can provide, if you are assessed as needing them are:

• personal care at home, for example, washing and dressing
• day care
• residential or nursing care
• social work support               

At home before an operation

If you know that you will be going into hospital for an operation we can visit you at home before you are admitted to assess your needs and prepare for your discharge from hospital. This is called a Pre admission assessment for elective surgery (a separate leaflet is available about this).

In hospital as an inpatient

If you are already in hospital someone from the hospital's Social Work department can visit you on the ward to assess your needs.

Visiting the hospital for an outpatient appointment

If you or a relative has an appointment at the hospital or is in the Accident and Emergency department (Casualty) you can contact us.

I already have a social worker, will I see them or someone else when I go into hospital?

If you already have a social worker who has been visiting you at home they will continue to see you in hospital.

How do I make contact with the Social Work department in the hospital?

Each hospital in Doncaster has its own Social Work department. This service is run by Doncaster Council in partnership with the NHS. You can visit or telephone in person or you can ask a nurse, doctor, friend or relative to contact the department for you. Many of the wards have their own social worker or assessment officer who has daily contact with the staff on the ward. 

The Social Work department is open from 8.30am to 5pm from Monday to Friday.

Hospital Social Work Departments

Doncaster Royal Infirmary

• Adult Services (18+)  
• tel. 01302 366666 - exts. 3652 or 4022 
• fax no. 01302 734850 

Mexborough/Montagu Hospital

• tel: 01709 585171 - ext. 5316 

Tickhill Road Hospital

• tel: 01302 796416

Further information

Adult Services, Civic Office, Waterdale, Doncaster, DN1 3BU  

• tel: 01302 737777 
• textphone: 01302 737796 
• fax number: 01302 737778 
• email: social.care@doncaster.gov.uk