Short-term and emergency respite care in Richmond
Looking after a relative in Richmond is generous work, and it still needs gaps: an evening, a weekend or a fortnight that belongs to you. Respite care gives family carers in Richmond upon Thames the chance to rest, recover or simply have some time to themselves, knowing their loved one is in safe, capable hands. Protocol Healthcare Services arranges short-term respite as either regular visiting cover or a live-in Care Professional who stays in the home, so you can step back for an afternoon, a weekend or a fortnight and know that everything carries on.
We are not a branch on George Street. Richmond is covered from our London office at Highview House, 167 Station Road, Edgware. The team there arranges care across London and the Home Counties, assigns a vetted, DBS-checked Care Professional to each family and keeps a consultant on call around the clock. That is exactly what makes respite work: when a carer in Kew or St Margarets suddenly needs cover, we can move quickly. When a break is planned months ahead, we hold it steady so you can look forward to it.
When families in Richmond turn to respite care
- ✓ A planned holiday or weekend away for the carer
- ✓ Emergency cover when a carer falls ill
- ✓ Recovery time after the carer's own operation
- ✓ Support after a hospital stay or discharge
- ✓ Regular weekly breaks to prevent burnout
- ✓ A trial of care before committing longer term
- ✓ Cover for a family event or work commitment
- ✓ Bridging care while longer arrangements are set up
Visiting or live-in respite, whichever suits
Respite in Richmond takes two main shapes. Visiting respite means a Care Professional drops in for set calls, perhaps a few hours each day, so a carer gets predictable breathing space while staying nearby. Live-in respite means a Care Professional moves into the home for the duration, covering everything from personal care and medication to cooking, company and overnight reassurance, which is what most families choose when they want to go away entirely. We assess the person's needs and the household, then recommend the pattern that fits, and we keep the same familiar faces where we can so the handover feels natural.
Because the person stays in their own home in Petersham, Ham or Richmond Riverside, there is no disruptive move to an unfamiliar care home for a week. Routines, pets and surroundings all stay put, which is especially important for anyone living with dementia, for whom a change of environment can be unsettling. That continuity is one of the biggest advantages of respite at home over a temporary residential placement.
Respite after a hospital stay in Richmond
Respite is often the bridge that gets someone safely through the weeks after a hospital discharge. When a relative comes home from Kingston Hospital, run by Kingston and Richmond NHS Foundation Trust, or from West Middlesex University Hospital in Isleworth, part of Chelsea and Westminster Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, a short-term Care Professional can take the pressure off the family while recovery is under way. This supports medication, mobility and personal care and keeping GPs and district nurses informed. If needs turn out to be greater than expected, respite can flex into longer-term visiting or live-in care without another upheaval.
Some people leaving hospital are offered intermediate care, or reablement, which is free and usually lasts up to six weeks (NHS guide). We can arrange respite alongside it or once it ends.
Respite at home or a short care-home stay in Richmond?
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 nursing 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 and regulation of respite care in Richmond
Care at home in England is regulated by the Care Quality Commission (CQC), and our respite Care Professionals work to those standards. Respite is priced on the length and type of cover, and we give you a clear figure before it starts. Many Richmond families self-fund shorter breaks, but support may be available: the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames can carry out a carer's assessment and a care needs assessment, and respite is sometimes funded specifically to support unpaid carers. Council-funded respite can be taken as a direct payment and spent with a provider you choose. Our team is happy to talk it through, and you can read more on our paying for care guide or explore our full range of services.
Areas of Richmond we cover for respite care
We arrange respite care across the borough and the surrounding TW postcodes, including:
- Richmond Hill
- Richmond Riverside
- Richmond Green
- Kew
- Ham
- Petersham
- North Sheen
- East Sheen
- St Margarets
- Mortlake
Other ways we can help in Richmond
Respite is one of several options. Whether you need ongoing support or specialist care, these may suit better.
Live-in Care
A dedicated Care Professional living in the home for round-the-clock support in Richmond.
Live-in care in Richmond →
Home & Visiting Care
Flexible hourly visits for personal care, medication and companionship across Richmond.
Visiting care in Richmond →
Dementia & Specialist Care
Specialist support at home for dementia, Parkinson's and complex needs in Richmond.
Dementia care in Richmond →
Private Nurse at Home
NMC-registered nurses for clinical care at home in Richmond, from wound care to palliative nursing.
Private nurse in Richmond →Respite care in Richmond, answered
Common questions from family carers arranging respite in Richmond. If your question is not here, our team is always happy to help.
Ask a QuestionYes. Because our team coordinates cover across Greater London around the clock, we can often arrange emergency respite care in Richmond within 24 to 48 hours, including evenings, weekends and bank holidays, when a family carer falls ill or a sudden situation arises anywhere from Kew to East Sheen.
Both. Respite can be a few visiting calls a day to give a carer regular breaks, or a live-in Care Professional who stays in the home for a week or two while you take a holiday. We match the type of respite to what the person needs and to the household in Richmond Hill, Ham, Petersham or wherever you are.
Yes. Short-term respite is a common way to bridge recovery after a discharge from Kingston Hospital, run by Kingston and Richmond NHS Foundation Trust, or West Middlesex University Hospital in Isleworth, part of Chelsea and Westminster Hospital NHS Foundation Trust. We support medication, mobility and personal care until the person is back on their feet.
Respite is flexible. It can be a single afternoon each week, a fortnight of live-in cover while you go away, or an open-ended arrangement that later becomes regular care. We arrange respite right across the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames and the TW9 and TW10 postcodes for as long as you need it.
Care at home in England is regulated by the Care Quality Commission (CQC). Protocol Healthcare Services Ltd is registered with the CQC to provide personal care, provider ID 1-6591402702. The CQC has not yet inspected the service, so there is no published rating. The London Borough of Richmond upon Thames can carry out a carer's assessment and a care needs assessment, and respite is sometimes funded to support unpaid carers. Many families self-fund shorter breaks. See our paying for care guide for the options.
Respite care near Richmond
We arrange planned and emergency respite across South West London and the surrounding boroughs. Explore nearby areas below.
Need a break? Respite care in Richmond
Our friendly team is here to help with a free, no obligation chat about short-term and emergency respite at home.
Last updated 12 November 2026 · How we write and check our content