Princess Royal University Hospital: report on patient discharge
Download (PDF 869 KB)Summary of report content
Healthwatch Bromley undertook a project to understand people's experience of discharge at the Princess Royal University Hospital between February-May 2017. They spoke to 91 people.
Overall, most respondents were satisfied with the discharge service, but several recurring concerns were identified.
The review found that the majority of admissions were emergencies, while planned admissions were generally well managed, with most patients receiving good pre-admission information. However, some issues were reported, such as delays in receiving medication on admission, missing patient information, and long waits for beds.
During the hospital stay, most patients reported positive experiences of cleanliness and treatment, with high satisfaction scores. However, communication—particularly between doctors and nurses—was identified as a key weakness, with patients often feeling uninformed or that staff lacked up-to-date information. Some patients also reported disturbances at night due to noise.
Preparation for discharge was generally viewed positively, with most patients satisfied with the information they received. Nevertheless, there was a significant gap between patient and carer experiences: while most patients felt involved in discharge decisions, many carers reported not being adequately consulted, which sometimes led to difficulties arranging care at home.
On the day of discharge, patients were generally happy with staff support, but operational issues were common. These included long waits in the discharge lounge, delays in receiving medication or transport, poor signage and location of the lounge, and missed meals due to poorly timed discharges.
After discharge, most patients were satisfied with the care and support they received, and coordination between hospital and community services was generally effective. However, some patients experienced delays in information being sent to their GP, inconsistencies in domiciliary care, and lack of continuity in carers.
The report concludes that the discharge service is largely effective and supported by proactive and caring staff, but improvements are needed in communication, discharge planning, and operational efficiency. It makes ten recommendations, including improving staff communication, involving carers more in discharge decisions, reducing waiting times, ensuring timely access to medication, improving the discharge lounge environment, and strengthening communication with GP practices.