Hospital patients 'sent home too early'

There are fears about patient discharge policies

An obsession with shortening health service waiting lists coupled with problems from "bed-blocking" means many Scottish hospital patients are being sent home too early, according to new research.

The Carers' National Association in Scotland said hospital discharge policies were failing badly.

Cutting hospital waiting lists has been a top priority ever since Labour came to power four years ago.

But according to the carers' association this could mean that many patients are being allowed home too early.

These findings present a serious challenge to the Scottish Executive. They add to a growing body of evidence which suggests carers are having to pick up the pieces as hospital discharge policies fail

John Wilkes, CNA Scotland director

It said one in three hospital patients have to be re-admitted within two months of being discharged, compared with one in four in a survey three years ago.

The findings, which form part of a larger survey of 2,000 carers across the UK, also indicate concerns that families and carers are not being consulted prior to a patient being discharged.

Just under two-thirds (64%) of carers said they had been consulted prior to hospital discharge compared to 71% of those questioned three years ago.

And only one in seven Scottish carers received a copy of the discharge plan, while 43% said their comments and concerns were not taken into account.

Hospital discharge policies

The CNA, which published the findings to coincide with the seventh annual Carers Week, is also launching a year-long campaign, Carers' Health Matters, to highlight problems faced by carers in dealing with the health sector.

John Wilkes, CNA Scotland director, said the findings indicated the failure of current hospital discharge policies, and highlighted the need for a greater role for carers in relation to hospital discharge, possibly through statutory rights in future legislation.

He said: "These findings present a serious challenge to the Scottish Executive. They add to a growing body of evidence which suggests carers are having to pick up the pieces as hospital discharge policies fail.

"The offensive concept of 'bed-blocking' and the drive to cut waiting lists are clearly a factor. We need a more enlightened approach which places the needs of patients and carers at its heart.

Specific guidance

"The Scottish Executive should ensure that future carer-related legislation includes specific guidance on hospital discharge.

"The guidance may have to be statutory, so that patients and their carers have the full force of the law behind them when the rules are broken."

Mr Wilkes added: "Health boards and trusts must also review their existing discharge policies, and whether they work in practice.

"Sadly, our survey suggests that they often do not."