No right to reside - an exploration of the experience of patients awaiting discharge from hospital

Healthwatch Wigan and Leigh undertook research to understand the impact of delayed  hospital discharge on patients and their families.  They spoke to 36 people.

Patients and relatives told Healthwatch that the discharge process was complex and confusing. Communication proved to be difficult, and it felt that there was no joined up working or coordination. Multiple moves around the hospital and into community services led to confusion, miscommunication and lack of any continuity which inevitably led to duplication. In addition, patient and relatives made comment about deconditioning and the impact on mood as patients lack stimulation in hospital.

There are multiple teams involved in discharge planning and there seemed to be a lack of understanding of roles and responsibilities by some teams and ward staff. Ward staff expressed particular frustration at feeling distant from the discharge planning process for their patients. Patients told of having to repeat their story many times, of feeling that their wishes were not listened to and often overruled either by family members or staff as ‘they knew better’. 

Concerns were expressed by patients and relatives about the amount of therapy available on both the discharge ward and in community services as this was not made clear. In fact, they were often led to believe they would receive more intervention than was the reality.