NUH Tackling Delayed Transfers of Care
Healthwatch Nottingham and Nottinghamshire worked with Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust to understand the experiences of people living with dementia as they moved from hospital back into the community. The project gathered feedback from patients, carers and staff to identify what worked well and where the discharge process could be improved.
The report found that while many staff were committed to providing compassionate, person-centred care, people living with dementia and their carers often experienced challenges during discharge. These included communication, coordination between services, involvement in planning and access to information and support after leaving hospital.
Recommendations
The report recommends that the Trust should:
- Involve people living with dementia and their carers in discharge planning from an early stage.
- Improve communication throughout the hospital stay and ensure discharge plans are clearly explained.
- Strengthen coordination between hospital teams, community services and social care to support a smooth transition home.
- Ensure discharge information is accessible, personalised and easy to understand.
- Continue to develop dementia awareness training for staff involved in discharge planning.
- Monitor patient and carer feedback to identify opportunities for ongoing improvement.
Key themes:
- Planning for discharge
- Communication with patients and carers
- Person-centred dementia care
- Joined-up working between services
- Support after leaving hospital
- Improving patient and carer experience
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NUH Tackling Delayed Transfers of Care
