Admission bag: pack in 30 minutes
The hospital tells you the bed is found and the transport is here in two hours. Here is the bag list, ordered by urgency, that covers the first 48 hours in the home.
The short answer. Five days of clothing, all medications in original packets with a written list, ID and NHS number, LPA if held, named personal comforts (photos, glasses, hearing aids). Leave valuables, expired meds, and food. Tape a name label on the inside of the bag.
The list, in pack order
- All current medications in original boxes plus a written list with times, doses, allergies. NHS care home guide ↗
- NHS number, GP name and surgery, next-of-kin contact, Lasting Power of Attorney for health (paper copy).
- Five days of clothing: pyjamas, day clothes, underwear, socks, slippers. Soft bag, not a wheeled case.
- Toiletries: toothbrush, paste, denture pot, shampoo, deodorant, razor (electric if frail).
- Glasses, hearing aids and batteries, walking stick or frame.
- Photographs (2-3 named, framed if possible) and dementia comfort items. Alzheimer's Society moving ↗
- Mobile phone and charger.
- Small amount of cash (£20 max). The home should hold it in safekeeping.
What should not go in
- Jewellery and valuables.
- Expired medications.
- Food (the home provides all meals and snacks).
- Large sums of cash.
- Anything sentimental that cannot be replaced.
Label everything
Stick-on laundry labels are inexpensive. Mark every item of clothing with the resident's full name. The home's laundry processes mix loads and items go missing daily. This is the single highest-impact precaution you can take in the first hour.
Last reviewed 2026-06-21. Clinical reviewer pending appointment (target Sep 2026); meanwhile reviewed by the editorial team.