Healthwatch Lancashire have launched its Hospital Discharge project, which aims to understand the patient experience and staff processes of discharge at Royal Preston Hospital and Chorley & South Ribble Hospital.
More than 337,000 people are discharged from hospital each month, making it one of the most important stages of a patient's healthcare journey. Timely and well-planned discharge can improve patient safety, support hospital capacity, and help people access the care and support they need in their community.
To gather information and as many anonymous views as possible, the Healthwatch team will be visiting both hospitals throughout September, as well as St Catherine's Hospice in Leyland, to gather feedback directly from patients, carers and staff.
In addition to in-person conversations, Healthwatch have launched an online survey for those who have recently been discharged or staff at both hospitals that we may not have been able to talk with.
The online survey asks recently discharged patients about;
- Information they were given at the hospital.
- Whether they were asked to wait in a dedicated discharge lounge.
- How their overall experience of discharge was.
- How discharge could be improved for patients.
It also asks staff at both hospitals about the discharge process, including;
- What information staff provide to patients.
- Transport options for patients who may need them.
- How they believe discharge could be improved for patients.
A positive discharge experience can help patients recover safely at home, reduce unnecessary readmissions, and ensure that appropriate support is in place from community services, family or carers.
We would like to hear from:
- Adults recently discharged from Royal Preston Hospital.
- Adults recently discharged from Chorley & South Ribble Hospital.
- Family members or carers involved in the discharge process.
- Staff involved in planning or facilitating patient discharge.
We are grateful to both Royal Preston Hospital and Chorley & South Ribble teams for welcoming our staff into their wards and sharing their time with us.
Once the project closes, Healthwatch Lancashire will analyse all responses and produce an independent report. Findings and recommendations will be shared with Lancashire County Council, the Lancashire and South Cumbria Integrated Care Board, and hospital partners to help improve discharge experiences for patients.
Share your experience
Have you recently been discharged from Royal Preston Hospital or Chorley & South Ribble Hospital?
We want to hear about your experience. Whether your discharge went smoothly or there were challenges along the way, your feedback can help shape future improvements.
Take our survey here: https://www.smartsurvey.co.uk/...
The survey is anonymous.