Leaving hospital: patient centred discharge

Healthwatch Stoke on Trent wanted to  understand whether changes made to hospital discharge processes locally had made a change for patients. They surveyed 135 people.

The findings enclosed suggest positive changes in communication and that it has improved at local hospitals. Also, the data collected from those who responded to the survey suggests that people feel slightly more prepared for discharge than they did in 2015 despite well publicised pressures in the health and care system. The findings indicate a possible link between communication on the ward and how resilient patients are once home, further reinforcing its importance. There is room for improvement though. There are differences in patient experience when comparing different discharge routes. For example, those receiving rehabilitation in the home reported feeling least able to manage their condition.