New resources to support patients, carers, families and health and care professionals with the discharge process

New resources are now available to help health and care professionals provide hospital patients, as well as their families and carers, with extra support before and during their onward care journey.

Colleagues working in the local health and care system have told us more needs to be done to improve the wider understanding around complex discharge pathways and processes. Many have said the current approach to discharge is confusing and has led to stressful situations for both staff and patients.

A new programme of work, Caring Steps Together, has been established to address these issues. Months of extensive research with patients and their families, along with colleagues working across acute and community hospital settings, as well as the voluntary sector, has yielded significant insights into the impact and nature of the issues and presented ideas on how to address them.

New resources are now available to help support patients, their families and carers to understand the process of leaving hospital and the other services that are available to provide support in the community. The resources can be given to patients directly, either as a printed hard copy or in a digital format, such as a PDF document or online video. All the resources can be viewed and downloaded on the BSW Together website (www.bswtogether.org.uk/discharge).

There are also assets that can be shared to support comms to professionals and the public which are located at: https://bswtogether.org.uk/discharge/professionals/