Public Meeting: Hospital Discharge - "Harnessing the Power of your Experience" Workshop Report
Download (PDF 788.88 KB)Summary of report content
Healthwatch North Somerset held a public meeting on 1 October 2014 to provide members of the public with the opportunity to voice their views, personal experiences and suggest improvements that could be made to the existing discharge processes. 34 people attended.
In conclusion, any stay in hospital for a patient and family is stressful. While there are many complex aspects to consider when it comes to hospital discharge, all agreed that the best discharge focuses on a consistent, holistic approach. The welfare of the patient, and the focus on their discharge, should be at the top of the agenda from the point of admission. A carefully co-ordinated, well planned and communicated team effort will decrease anxiety and stress at the point of discharge.
No discharge process should elicit comments such as ‘the family was not listened to’ or ‘I felt belittled’ or leave a patient feeling they were not listened to or were deprived of their dignity. The feedback at the workshop indicates there is room for improvement, and that much of the improvement is achievable and affordable.
The report includes three recommendations to improve the discharge process.