Sending patients home from hospital at night.

We expect our hospitals to be open for us 24 hours a day.  Sometimes it will happen that patients are ready for discharge in the hours of darkness.  If they are not fit to travel home alone, it doesn't really make much difference if it is day or night - they will feel abandoned even if deposited in their own home.  To what extent are we expecting the Health Service to care for people after they are discharged?  Those who have absolutely no family or friends are equipped with a call button so that they can summon help.  A hospital exists to treat illness or injury, not to take responsibility for what happens after this has been done.  Otherwise where does it all end?  I'm afraid that a non-existent family somehow often materialises when it is time to read the Will.