Respite Care in Kingston upon Thames

Kingston upon Thames • South West London

Short-term and emergency respite care in Kingston upon Thames

Caring for someone you love is one of the most important things you will ever do, but no one can do it without a break. Respite care gives family carers across Kingston upon Thames the chance to rest, recover from their own illness, take a holiday, or simply catch up on sleep, knowing a trained Care Professional is looking after their relative in the meantime. Protocol Healthcare Services arranges short-term respite that can be a few hours, a fortnight, or several weeks, shaped entirely around your dates and your peace of mind.

Our offices are in Edgware and Bournemouth, and respite in Kingston is arranged by the London office in Edgware, so we do not run a branch on Clarence Street. What we do run is a service covering London and the Home Counties coordinating vetted, background-checked Care Professionals wherever they are needed, right across the Royal Borough. Every carer we place has completed enhanced DBS and right-to-work checks, references and training before they start, so you can hand over with confidence, whether you live in Surbiton, New Malden or Coombe.

When families in Kingston turn to respite care

• ✓ A planned break or holiday for the main carer
• ✓ Emergency cover when a carer falls ill or is admitted to hospital
• ✓ Recovery support after an operation or discharge
• ✓ A regular weekly break to prevent carer burnout
• ✓ Cover for a family wedding, funeral or work commitment
• ✓ A trial of extra support before deciding on longer-term care
• ✓ Personal care, medication and companionship throughout
• ✓ Available as visiting respite or full live-in respite

Planned breaks and emergency cover

Some respite is booked well in advance: you know you have a holiday coming up, a hospital appointment of your own, or you simply need a fortnight to recharge. We plan that carefully, introducing the Care Professional before you leave so your relative is comfortable and the handover of routines and medication is smooth. Other times respite is needed at short notice, when a carer in Berrylands or Worcester Park is suddenly unwell or admitted to Kingston Hospital themselves. In those moments we move quickly, and can usually put safe emergency cover in place within 24 to 48 hours, including in the evenings, at weekends and on bank holidays.

Respite can be delivered whichever way suits. Visiting respite means a Care Professional calls in for set hours so you can step away for part of the day, while live-in respite means someone stays in the home around the clock, ideal when you want to travel or take a proper break. Either way, the person you care for stays in their own home in familiar surroundings, rather than moving temporarily into a care home.

Support after a hospital stay or operation

Respite is also one of the best ways to steady the weeks after a discharge from Kingston Hospital on Galsworthy Road in Norbiton, run by Kingston and Richmond NHS Foundation Trust. After an operation or a fall, both the patient and their usual carer often need extra hands for a while. A short block of respite covers medication, mobility and rehabilitation support, gives the family carer time to regroup, and helps reduce the risk of a readmission. We liaise with district nurses and family so everyone is working from the same plan.

The NHS and council may first offer reablement, free short-term help with everyday tasks that usually lasts up to six weeks (NHS guidance). When it finishes, we can step in.

Respite care across the Royal Borough

We arrange respite care across Kingston town centre and Canbury, through Norbiton and Surbiton, out to Coombe and Kingston Vale, and south into New Malden, Old Malden, Worcester Park, Tolworth and Chessington. Wherever you are in the borough, the aim is the same: keep your relative safe, comfortable and in their own routines while you take the break you need and deserve. Care at home in England is regulated by the Care Quality Commission (CQC), so the support you hand over to is properly overseen.

Is respite at home right, or a short care-home stay?

Respite can also mean a short stay in a care home, booked with the home or the council. We do not run care homes; we arrange respite at home. A care home may suit better if someone needs nursing care on site. The NHS guide to carers' breaks and respite care lists other options, and our respite care overview and respite care guide compare them.

Funding respite care in Kingston upon Thames

Adult social care in the borough is overseen by the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames. As a family carer you are also entitled to a carer's assessment from the council, which looks at your own needs and can sometimes unlock support towards respite, alongside a care needs assessment and financial assessment for the person you look after. Many families self-fund respite for the flexibility it gives. If the council funds respite, you can take it as a direct payment and book the care yourself, including with us. We are always happy to talk the routes through, and you can read more on our paying for care guide, or see the full range of support on our services overview.

Areas of Kingston upon Thames we cover for respite care

KT1 and KT2 cover the town centre, Canbury, Coombe and Norbiton, with New Malden in KT3, Worcester Park in KT4, Surbiton in KT5 and KT6, and Chessington in KT9. We arrange respite care across the borough and its surrounding KT postcodes, including:

• Kingston town centre
• Norbiton
• Canbury
• Surbiton
• Berrylands
• New Malden
• Old Malden
• Worcester Park
• Tolworth
• Chessington
• Coombe
• Kingston Vale