"Discharge process is grossly inefficient."

Firstly I would like to thank you for your feedback, we value patient’s opinions and observations and use them to assist us with service improvement. The observation you made around our lengthy discharge process is one that we are fully aware of as a team on E14 and wider afield across the Trust. As a ward we feel strongly about making sure that our patients get discharged in a timely manner and with their ETTO, but acknowledge we need to have a better management plan in order for this to happen.

There is an extensive piece of work currently ongoing looking at the discharge process and how to alleviate its blockages and obstacles. Within Digestive Diseases and Thoracics the Senior Nursing and Medical team along with the Ward Sisters are in the process of devising a standard operating procedure for each ward to use and follow every day. It includes actions to be used to plan discharge in a more effective way, which involves the preparation of prescriptions to take home further in advance of discharge than on the actual day where possible. We are also aware that we don’t always communicate adequately with patients and relatives what needs to happen prior to a safe discharge and what is causing delays. Wards have been asked to identify key people responsible for discharges during a shift, for purposes of monitoring progress and a point of contact for patients and relatives. We are also working closely with other departments in the Trust who contribute to a patient’s safe discharge, pharmacy and transport, in order to improve the experience for the patient and relatives.

Louise Challans, Patient Feedback Nurse DDT.