DISCHARGE POLICY Reference Number: 701 2010 Author & Title: Sue Vost, Discharge Team Leader Astrid Siddorn, Discharge Liaison Nurse Responsible Directorate: Clinical Review Date: October 2014 Ratified by (committee): Operational Governance Committee Date Ratified: 12 October 2011 Version: 6 Related Policies • • • • • Medicines Code: Discharge Medicines Policy RUH Patient Transport Policy and Procedure Safeguarding Adults policy & procedure Mental Capacity Act Consent policy Document name: Discharge Policy Issue date: November 2011 Ref.: 701 Status: Final Page 1 of 17 Index: 1. Policy_______________________________________________________________ 3 2. Standards, Responsibilities and Duties for Safe Discharge __________________ 3 3. Discharge Categories _________________________________________________ 4 4. Simple Discharge Process _____________________________________________ 4 5. Complex Discharge Process____________________________________________ 7 6. Rapid Discharge ______________________________________________________ 9 7. Self Discharge ______________________________________________________ 10 8. Out of Hours Discharge _______________________________________________ 10 9. Prisoners___________________________________________________________ 11 10. Patients admitted and discharged under the Mental Health Act (2005) ______ 11 11. Discharge Medications _____________________________________________ 11 12. The Emergency or Urgent Discharge of Adult Patients to other Acute Healthcare Trusts________________________________________________________ 11 11. Education ________________________________________________________ 12 14. Monitoring Arrangements ___________________________________________ 13 APPENDIX 1 Consultation Schedule _____________________________________ 14 APPENDIX 2 Discharge Nursing Documentation ___________________________ 15 APPENDIX 3 Flow Chart for Patient Discharge _____________________________ 16 Ratification Check list ____________________________________________________ 17 Document name: Discharge Policy Issue date: November 2011 Ref.: 701 Status: Final Page 2 of 17 1. Policy 1.1 Introduction This policy is designed to standardise and provide a coordinated approach to the management of patient discharge. It is written in accordance with the NHS and Community Care Act 1993/98, DoH Discharge from hospital: Pathways, Process and Practice 2003, the Community Care Act (Delayed Discharge) 2003, National Framework for continuing healthcare and NHS- funded Nursing Care 2007 & Achieving Simple Timely Discharge from Hospital 2004. Patient discharge must be seen as an interdisciplinary / multidisciplinary issue. This policy is therefore intended for use by all healthcare staff including nurses, doctors, allied health professionals and managers. This policy aims to ensure that unplanned re-admissions do not occur as a result of poor discharge planning. 2. Standards, Responsibilities and Duties for Safe Discharge It is the responsibility of the ward or department manager to ensure all ward/department staff understand and comply the Discharge Policy. It is the responsibility of the Registered Nurse looking after the patient to coordinate the discharge plans. It is the duty of the discharge liaison nurse to assist ward staff with discharge pathways and support all complex discharges. It is the responsibility of the discharge cluster group to review and monitor complex discharges and change procedures as required. The cluster group should involve members of the PCT, RUH and Local authorities. The meeting will be held monthly. The consultant in charge of the patient’s medical care is responsible for the decision to make the patient medically or surgically fit for discharge. It is also their responsibility to ensure that their patients’ discharge summaries are completed in a timely way. The weekly delayed transfers of care (DTOC) meeting is responsible for ensuring all patients that are deemed to be a DTOC are recorded in the appropriate way. Document name: Discharge Policy Issue date: November 2011 Ref.: 701 Status: Final Page 3 of 17 3. Discharge Categories 3.1 Simple discharge process A simple discharge is one that: • Will involve minimal disturbance to the patient’s activities of daily living. • Does not prevent or hamper a return to their usual place of residence. • Will not require a significant change in support offered to the patient or their carer in the community. 3.2 Complex discharge process The patient profile will identify the complex discharge needs of this group. 3.3 Rapid discharge and transfers to community hospitals and care homes. These may be simple or complex and usually as a result of pressures to place patients in appropriate care environments as a result of the escalation process. 3.4 Self discharge These relate to patients wishing to self discharge against medical advice. 3.5 Out of hours discharge These are discharges that occur after 19:00 at night and before 08:00 in the morning. 3.6 Prisoners The process for the admission and discharge of Prisoners. 3.7 Patients admitted and discharged under the mental health act (2005) The processes to ensure patients are supported by the Site Manager 3.8 The emergency or urgent discharge of adult patients The process for urgently discharging patients, due to clinical need or in the event of a major incident. 4. Simple Discharge Process A simple discharge is one that: • Will involve minimal disturbance to the patient’s activities of daily living. • Does not prevent or hamper a return to their usual place of residence. • Will not require a significant change in support offered to the patient or their carer in the community. On the day of discharge the discharging nurse must confirm all arrangements are in place and the patient is fit to leave hospital Document name: Discharge Policy Issue date: November 2011 Ref.: 701 Status: Final Page 4 of 17 An initial assessment and plan must be completed by a Registered Health Professional within 24 hours of admission, or directly from a pre–admissions clinic. Issues that must be considered are: • Previous care needs • Changing medication needs including compliance aids • Likely changes as a result of admission • Transport needs • Social needs • Eligibility for Continuing Health Care • Possible vulnerability of patients’ e.g. frail, elderly, terminally ill, learning disability, mental health problems. • Infection control issues and the possible need for consultation with the infection control team This information must be recorded within the RUH discharge proforma document, including the home circumstances information. This information may now change the patient from a simple to a complex discharge. Refer to section 5 for further complex discharge planning All patients must be given an estimated date of discharge (EDD) within 24 hours of admission. This must be documented in the multi-disciplinary notes, the appropriate IT system and the ward white board. This must be reviewed and updated on a regular basis. The matron responsible for each area must be involved with the provision of advice and support for ward managers with simple discharges. The patient and/ or carers must agree the discharge plan. This must be documented in the multi-disciplinary notes. If an existing care package needs to be restarted, the registered health professional undertaking the assessment will need to contact the relevant Social Services department to find out the most appropriate way to do this. Social services need 48 hours notice before a care package can be restarted. On the day of discharge the patient must be handed over to, and transferred to the Discharge Centre, prior to 10:00am. Ensure the patient has been provided with medication to take away in line with the Medicines Code: Discharge Medicines policy. The discharging nurse, from the ward, must ensure that the patient and carer receive instructions on care required after leaving hospital. The discharging nurse, from the ward, must complete the discharge checklist which is included in the nursing documentation. Document name: Discharge Policy Issue date: November 2011 Ref.: 701 Status: Final Page 5 of 17 Transport arrangements for discharge must be considered at the earliest opportunity, at least 24 hours prior to discharge. (RUH Patient Transport Policy and Procedure) Ambulance transport must only be used in the event of clinical need. If discharge arrangements change all members of the multidisciplinary team, the patient and the patient’s carer must be informed as the changes occur. All changes must be documented in the multidisciplinary notes. The patient must be informed if an outpatient appointment is necessary, the time scale in which the appointment is needed and how they will be notified of the appointment date and time. First appointments must be made for INR checks for all patients discharged on Warfarin with the appropriate clinic/GP surgery. Patients will need to be informed of the time and date of appointment prior to discharge. The patients GP and/or District Nurse must be involved prior to discharge if the discharge is deemed complex by the multidisciplinary team. The nurse coordinating the discharge must ensure all valuables held in the Patient Affairs office are returned and signed for before the patient’s discharge. The discharging nurse should ensure that the patient has a sufficient supply of dressings and continence pads, if necessary. The nurse discharging the patient should check how the patient will gain access to the property and ensure any keys are sent with the patient. The discharging nurse must ensure that the patient is fully clothed before discharge; the patient must not be discharged in their night clothes. Unless the patient declines the offer of clothes, or alternative clothing is not available. If the RUH patient profile highlights complex planning discharge needs, please follow Complex Discharge process. 4.18 Discharge documentation The discharge summary must be completed at the point of discharge. Copies of the discharge summary should be: • • • Given to the patient to take away; Filed in the patient’s health records within 24 hours; Sent to the patient’s GP, or other hospital/institution to which the patient is discharged, within 24 hours. Electronic templates for procedure or diagnosis specific discharge summaries must be authorised by the Trust’s ratification panel. If the patient is employed, they may require a sick certificate. A MED10 certificate stating the patient has been an inpatient may be completed by the nursing staff coordinating the discharge. The medical/surgical team will need to complete a MED3 certificate if the patient requires time off after their hospital admission. Document name: Discharge Policy Issue date: November 2011 Ref.: 701 Status: Final Page 6 of 17 5. Complex Discharge Process If the patient profile indicates complex discharge needs, the health professional coordinating discharge must ensure all elements of the Simple Discharge process have been considered and actioned. The registered health professional who has undertaken the initial assessment of the patient, must ensure the prompt referral to Social Services or to the appropriate Primary Care Trust for Home Care, Placement or Intermediate Care, if need has been identified. The referral must be commenced as soon as a requirement for care has been recognised (Section 2 notification Community Care Act, Delayed Discharges, health/rehab referral). If a Section 2 notification has been sent, it is the ward/department manager’s responsibility to ensure that Section 5 notification is sent as soon as the patient is medically fit for discharge and all assessments are complete (Physiotherapy, Occupational Therapy, Psychiatry, Nursing etc.) If after the Section 5 notification has been sent the patient becomes unwell, the ward is closed due to infection or the patient requires further assessment prior to discharge it is the ward/department manager’s responsibility to ensure that social services have been informed. On regaining health, the ward reopening or on completion of assessment the ward must ensure that the Section 5 is resent with an updated Estimated Date of Discharge entered. 5.1 Screening for continuing healthcare All patients are entitled to screening for Continuing Health Care (CHC). Continuing Health Care means care provided over an extended period of time, to a person aged 18 or over, to meet physical or mental health needs that have arisen as a result of disability, accident or illness. It is the assessing health professionals’ responsibility to ensure this is completed as appropriate. The relevant CHC training course must be completed prior to screening. Currently Wiltshire and BANES PCT, complete their CHC screening assessments once the patient is established in their discharge destination. The RUH supports Somerset PCT to process their CHC screening assessments while the patient is in the acute hospital environment. A CHC Fast Track Tool assessment should be completed for patients that have a rapidly deteriorating condition and are entering a terminal phase. This tool is used instead of the general CHC process to access urgent packages of care and support for patients in their preferred place of care where possible. An appropriate clinician should complete the assessment tool, i.e. consultant, ward doctor or registered nurse. 5.2 Information on particular care needs Staff must ensure that information about infections, and any particular care needs related to those infections and their control, are communicated when a patient Document name: Discharge Policy Issue date: November 2011 Ref.: 701 Status: Final Page 7 of 17 moves from their care to the care of another person e.g. community nurse, GP, nursing home or community hospital. This information should include: • MRSA status and whether the patient is currently receiving decolonisation treatment; • The date of next MRSA screen; • Contact with other patients with known or suspected infection; • Whether the patient is being discharged from a ward that is closed due to infection; • Any history of diarrhoea and/or vomiting. Communication with care providers must be documented in the patient’s health records and the discharge summary must include any infection risks and associated care needs. The Discharge Team must be involved for the provision of expert advice to the ward/department managers and staff to: • • • • • • • • Assist ward staff in the identification of patients with on-going carer needs; Support ward staff in ongoing assessment of patient discharge needs and assist ward staff in making alternative discharge plans as appropriate; Advise ward staff about suitability for and availability of Community Hospital beds; Advise ward staff about reimbursement process; Advise ward staff about eligibility for CHC in conjunction with the lead nurse for CHC; Participate in multidisciplinary ward meetings/ward rounds with physicians and medical staff as appropriate; Assess whether patients are appropriate for accommodation within the Discharge Centre; Provide an ongoing programme of education for ward/department staff. The patient and home carer (including informal carers) must be central to the Discharge Plan. They must be kept informed of progress on a regular basis by all members of the multidisciplinary team (MDT). Where appropriate the patient and carers will be invited to attend multidisciplinary meetings, discharge planning and case conferences. Any concerns regarding a possible vulnerable adult, must be advised to the senior nurse on duty, following the procedure within the Safeguarding Adults policy. If the patient has been deemed not to have capacity following a capacity assessment (refer to the Mental Capacity Act 2005 or Consent policy) a referral to an Independent Mental Capacity Advocate (IMCA) should be considered before making any discharge plans. 5.3 Transferring to a community hospital/care home Document name: Discharge Policy Issue date: November 2011 Ref.: 701 Status: Final Page 8 of 17 When patients are transferred to a community hospital/ care home the discharging nurse must ensure: • • • • • 6. All health records and X-rays are sent with the patient, if they are being transferred to a Bath health community Hospital; or a photocopy of the health records if they are being transferred to a hospital out of area. Care homes should not receive the patient’s health records. The Dr caring for the patient must complete a medical transfer letter and document in the health records that the patient is fit for discharge. The discharging nurse should complete and send a nursing transfer letter. The community hospital or care home must be contacted and be given a full handover prior to discharge. Transport is arranged at the earliest opportunity, with the aim that the patient will arrive at their destination no later than 15:00. Rapid Discharge Rapid discharges should only occur when it is essential to discharge a patient urgently to prevent bed crises and to achieve the emergency care standard. Please refer to the Patient Access Operation policy for further information on managing the related levels of escalation. When rapid discharges are necessary, the discharging nurse must ensure a safe discharge, by expediting all of the criteria for simple and/or complex discharge process. When it is necessary to rapidly discharge a patient to Intermediate Care or placement e.g. Transitional Care bed, the discharging nurse must: • Establish the availability and suitability of a bed/placement; • Inform the patient and family; • Arrange transport; • Handover the patient to the receiving ward/placement; • Ensure that necessary medication, TTAs are sent with the patient; • Ensure that the health records are sent with the patient. A copy of the current episode of care should be sent with the original drug chart; • Complete all health record and discharge documentation and send a transfer letter with the patient; • Ensure that the District Nurse team are informed and a discharge letter completed, if appropriate. It is essential to promptly transfer the patient to the Discharge Centre to await transport. Unplanned re-admissions must not occur as a result of poor discharge planning. Document name: Discharge Policy Issue date: November 2011 Ref.: 701 Status: Final Page 9 of 17 7. Self Discharge Patients may decide to discharge themselves from the hospital against clinical advice. If a patient wishes to self discharge: • Staff must advise the patient why it is in their best interest to remain in hospital; • If the patient does not wish to take this advice they must be asked to sign the appropriate ‘self discharge’ form; • • The doctor on duty must be informed; The doctor on duty must inform their consultant within 2 hours or sooner if the patient is vulnerable; Any medication required on discharge must be provided. If the patient refuses to wait for their medication then all reasonable steps must be taken to ensure that the patient receives it, e.g. using a courier service to deliver the medications; Relatives, carers and Social Services must be contacted, if relevant; The patient’s GP must be contacted at the time the patient leaves the hospital; A discharge summary must be sent to the patient’s GP within 48 hours of the patient leaving hospital. • • • • All actions and discussions must be recorded, dated, timed and signed in the patient’s health records. Patients who leave the discharge centre without their medication are to be classed as self discharge patients and therefore the actions outlined in point 7.1 should be taken. Patients must not be given permission to leave the hospital site prior to formal discharge. This must be discussed and agreed with the clinical team involved in the patients care. 8. Out of Hours Discharge Out of hours discharge is classed as a discharge that occurs after 7pm at night and before 8am in the morning. Out of hours discharges should only occur through patient choice or if there is no other option. Where possible, all agencies (including GP and District Nurse), relatives and carers should be contacted during working hours to inform them of discharge plans. If this is not possible then this should be completed as soon as normal hours resume. It is the responsibility of the discharging nurse to ensure this occurs. Document name: Discharge Policy Issue date: November 2011 Ref.: 701 Status: Final Page 10 of 17 9. Prisoners A prisoner admitted via the Emergency Department, or as an elective patient, will be accompanied by a prison officer at all times. Using the simple discharge process, the discharging ward will discuss medications, follow up appointments and further care with both prisoner and prison officer. 10. Patients admitted and discharged under the Mental Health Act (2005) When a patient is admitted whilst under a section of the Mental Health Act, their admission must be advised as soon as possible to the Site Manager. The documents that record the details of the section should be copied and given to the Site Manager. At the time of discharge, the details of discharge should be advised to the Site Manager. This is to ensure that the discharge plan is appropriate to that patient. 11. Discharge Medications 1.1 All discharge medication requests should be sent to pharmacy at least 24 hours in advance. 1.2 If the patient requires a compliance aid because: • • The patient previously had a compliance aid filled by a community pharmacy and this needs to be restarted; The patient is waiting to be discharged to a home which requires medication in a compliance aid. then then inform the ward pharmacist at the earliest opportunity and at least 48hrs before the expected date of discharge. The pharmacist will ensure that arrangements have been put in place for continuation of medicines after discharge. 1.3 Please note that compliance aids are not always appropriate for patients and they may need to be assessed for suitability. Please consult with your pharmacist. 12. The Emergency or Urgent Discharge of Adult Patients to other Acute Healthcare Trusts This excludes discharges from the Critical Care Services (ITU & HDU) and the Emergency Department (ED). The decision to transfer the care of a patient to another acute healthcare Trust will be decided by the medical team caring for the patient. Document name: Discharge Policy Issue date: November 2011 Ref.: 701 Status: Final Page 11 of 17 The decision must be discussed with the patient and family as appropriate. At all times during the transfer process the patient and family must be fully updated on the plan and discharge destination. If appropriate, an ambulance should be called to enable the transfer. The category required by the ambulance team should be advised by the medical team. This could be an immediate transfer or within 1 to 2 hours. The ward nurse making this call should ensure all relevant information regarding the patient’s clinical condition, including infection status and actions that may be required by the paramedic team during transfer. If a nurse of doctor is required to escort the patient, accountability for care should be discussed and agreed prior to leaving the hospital. The return to the hospital base for the escort and any equipment should be arranged prior to transfer. A taxi can be booked with the transport team during office hours and via the Site Manager out of hours. The ward nurse should ensure that only copies of the current episode of care from the patient’s health records are sent to the receiving hospital. The original health records should remain at the RUH. The patient’s possessions should be packed using the patient’s bags, as appropriate and in a timely way, to ensure a smooth ward handover to the ambulance team. Once the ambulance team arrive on the ward, the ward nurse on medical team should liaise with the paramedics regarding the patient’s condition and any requirements for their safe transport. 11. Education Staff must refer to the Mandatory Training Matrix, available on the intranet at http://webserver.ruhbath.swest.nhs.uk/development/mandatory/documents/matrix_roles.xlsi, to identify what training in relation to patient discharge is relevant for their role. The Mandatory Training Matrix identifies when training needs to be undertaken, the method of delivery and frequency of the training. The Mandatory Training policy identifies how training non-attendance will be followed up and managed and is available on the intranet at http://webserver.ruhbath.swest.nhs.uk/staff_resources/governance/policies/documents/non_clinical_polic ies/black_hr/HR_148_Mandatory_training_policy.pdf Document name: Discharge Policy Issue date: November 2011 Ref.: 701 Status: Final Page 12 of 17 14. Monitoring Arrangements The following arrangements have been put in place to monitor the effectiveness of this policy: Incidents and complaints regarding patient discharge will be reviewed by the Discharge Team Manager, in order to identify immediate actions required to increase patient safety and to identify trends and key risks for the safe discharge of patients. The findings of this analysis will be reported to the multiagency cluster group on a quarterly basis in order to identify actions required to address issues of non-compliance with the policy, share good practice and explore improved discharge planning. The audit of completion of the discharge documentation (appendix 2) will be included in the clinical audit programme and undertaken annually. The results of the audit will be reported to the Operational Governance Committee, as part of the agreed exception reporting process. The Divisional Management teams will also be provided with a copy of the audit findings, in order for any areas of non-compliance to be addressed through the creation and completion of an action plan. The discharge multi agency cluster group will monitor complex discharges by discussing selected cases monthly. These cases are agreed by consensus of the participating members of the cluster group. This process will encourage an educational learning environment and help inform future discharge planning. Delayed discharges will be monitored weekly through the Delayed Transfer of Care (DTOC) meetings; these are then be submitted to the Department of Health. Identified patients will be monitored and action taken to minimise the delays appropriately. Document name: Discharge Policy Issue date: November 2011 Ref.: 701 Status: Final Page 13 of 17 APPENDIX 1 Consultation Schedule Name & title of individual Date consulted Francesca Thompson, Director of Nursing Sharon Bonson, Assistant Director of Nursing Gareth Howells, Assistant Director of Nursing, Medicine Jan Lyn, Assistant Director of Nursing, Surgery Jo Miller, Assistant Director of Nursing/DIPC Matrons, Senior Sisters, Senior Nurses and Ward Managers (all) December 2009 Name of Committee/group Policy Group Operational Governance Committee Date of meeting 27.09.11 12.10.11 Document name: Discharge Policy Issue date: November 2011 Ref.: 701 Status: Final Page 14 of 17 APPENDIX 2 Discharge Nursing Documentation Discharge Plan Home Planned place of Discharge : Nursing Home Care Package Residential Home Community Support Team Print name Multidisciplinary team agreement for discharge All equipment arrangements made Social Work agreement to discharge date Care package in place Patient aware of proposed discharge date Relatives aware of proposed discharge date Community Services informed: or Community Support Team arranged: Sutures removed / removal arranged District nurse referral letter completed and given to patient Person to receive patient arranged House Keys available Heating on / food available Relatives able to transport patient home Home from Hospital booked Hospital Transport booked (circle type) Car / ambulance / sitting / stretcher Special requests e.g. Oxygen, zimmer frame TTAs prescribed / ordered include medication appliances GP surgery informed if required Out patient appointment made / to follow by post Day of Discharge Discharging Nurse Print name Ward Discharge Centre GP letter given to patient TTAs dispensed and explained to patient Dressings / pads supplied Medical sick note supplied Property returned including from safe Pad/dressing checked Check all cannulas removed Relatives contacted and informed patient has left Community hospital contacted and informed patient has left Care home contacted and informed patient has left jjj Document name: Discharge Policy Issue date: November 2011 Ref.: 701 Status: Final Page 15 of 17 APPENDIX 3 Flow Chart for Patient Discharge Discharge planning starts at either preadmission clinic or on admission Discharge assessment is completed within 24 hours of admission An estimated date of discharge is agreed with the patient On-going care needs identified Yes No Refer to discharge team for support with complex discharge planning Refer to social services/ intermediate care Screening for continuing health care is completed for patients with complex needs Refer to matron for support and advice for simple discharge On day of discharge Confirm care is in place/bed available Patient is medically fit and safe to transfer from the acute sector Patient and their family are aware of and agree with discharge Discharge checklist is completed Patient is transferred to the discharge centre to await TTAs /transport Document name: Discharge Policy Issue date: November 2011 Ref.: 701 Status: Final Page 16 of 17 Ratification Check list Dear Chairman Please would you review this document at your next meeting and agree final approval and organisational ratification. Title of meeting: Operational Governance Committee Date of meeting: 12 October 2011 Name of document: Discharge Policy (701) Name of author: Susan Vost, Discharge Liaison nurse Yes No Are there any elements of this policy which present operational issues that require further discussion? If yes, please provide a contact name for the author. x Does the document include a training plan? x Is the policy referenced? x Are up to date National Guidelines included? x N/A If you are the appropriate forum, have the necessary resources been agreed to implement this document? x Is there a plan for policy implementation? x Does your meeting recommend further consultation with groups or staff other than listed at the front of the policy? x What are the cost implications of implementing this policy? Equipment Staffing (additional) Training Other x £ £ £ £ Document approved without further comment (Please circle): Yes Further amendments to document suggested (Please circle)? No Name of Chair: Carol Peden Signature: Date: 12.10.11 Document name: Discharge Policy Issue date: November 2011 Ref.: 701 Status: Final Page 17 of 17
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