From hospital to home: improving patient discharge

The NHS is under pressure to free up beds. For many, their own bed is far more appealing than the hospital one. But getting hospital discharge wrong can harm both patients and services. If patients are discharged too early without proper support they may have to be readmitted to a hospital or to seek help from GPs or pharmacies. Meanwhile, delays in discharging those who are medically fit create issues for new patients needing beds, leading to longer wait times in A&E and treatment in corridors until beds are available.

New research, released by Healthwatch England, looks at what people have told them about leaving hospital, and what the NHS can do to improve the support patients receive.

In 2021, we looked at the experience of hospital discharge from the perspective of carers here in Surrey. Even during the restrictions of the COVID 19 pandemic we did hear positive stories of safe, patient-centred discharges. However, peoples also told us about poor communication between wards and carers, poor levels of inclusion in post-discharge planning and poor post-discharge signposting and support.

So what’s changed? And what problems remain?

According to Healthwatch England people still don’t feel involved in discharge planning and many are leaving hospital without necessary support plans in place. People also talked to Healthwatch England about being given limited discharge information on how to care for themselves once at home.

Have you or a loved one recently been discharged from hospital? How was your experience?

You can leave your experience via our online feedback form, or through our Helpdesk who also provide information and signposting about health and social care for Surrey residents.