Overall, residents’ experiences of planning for hospital discharge, either as the
patient or as a carer, are not consistent, ranging from very good to poor.
Whilst some patients experienced effective communication and support at the
point of discharge, this varied a great deal. Two thirds of carers did not feel that
their needs as carers were taken into consideration as part of the discharge
planning process. The wider needs of vulnerable adults were also not always
considered as part of the discharge process.
Most patients felt that they were ready to leave hospital at the point of discharge,
however some were not due to either their home situation or care package not
yet put in place.
A third of respondents felt that, where their loved one did not have capacity or
had fluctuating capacity, actions were not necessarily taken in the best interests
of the individual. Carers felt that their loved one’s ability to cope when home was
not fully considered in the discharge planning process.
The majority of respondents, however, felt that they were discharged to the best
place for their recovery.
Read the report for more information.