Were you discharged with care?

Between July and September 2014 Healthwatch East Sussex  carried out visits to Discharge Lounges at acute hospitals in Eastbourne, Hastings, Brighton, Haywards Heath and Pembury 1.2.The aim was to engage with patients about their experiences being discharged from hospital to find out if they were discharged safely and with care.  They spoke to 112 people.

Key findings

Most patients were positive about the process, with many feeling included and aware of the time of their discharge. This helped patients feel confident about the process. 

Many patients indicated that they relied upon support from family members or friends to be aware of their discharge or have an input with discussions about this. This raises the question about those who have no outside support network and the importance of good planning at the time of discharge. 

Underlying issues about being well enough to be discharged were found in a small number of responses. Some patients felt that they required further treatment or help while in hospital; however some did not wish to return home as they would feel isolated. It is not clear if befriending services were offered, which may have proved beneficial. 

Transport for patients was found to be an area of varied response. Overall most were happy with the arrangements made for them and praised the staff who were assisted them. Levels of dissatisfaction recorded, focussed on waiting times, some of which were caused by external factors, such as out of hour’s contacts with residential establishments. 

For providers, the centralisation of the booking resource for the transport and overall coordination of moving patients has potentially added a further layer of complexity, where there is a perceived reliance on hospital staff to book a transport appointment. Therefore while a patient may be happy with the arrangements and timings of their discharge, should staff become side tracked or need to attend an emergency situation, this may lead to delays in booking their transport home, meaning the patient experiences delay. 

Ongoing support is shown to be a key element of discharge, with family support again cited as important. Clarity about the extent of Social Care Support on discharge is an area Healthwatch would like to undertake some focussed activity in the future.

The lowest areas of response found, centred on clarity of information about their support plans or GP letters and changes in medication. Where low rates of satisfaction were indicated, patients were found to not be fully aware of any ongoing changes to their support or changes in their medication. 

The caring responsibilities of those patients who find themselves in hospital was thought to have an influence on their willingness to be discharged from and should be considered when deciding if they are well enough to be appropriately discharged. 

Where mentioned, staff were found to be professional and supportive of patients throughout the process, however there were acknowledgements made that they seemed pressured and short staffed.