Our response to NHS Providers report 'Right place, right time'
We want to see services working together to ensure people are involved in their discharge planning, aren’t kept in hospital too long and get the ongoing care and support they are entitled to.
Delayed transfers of care can harm patients and create increased and avoidable costs for both the NHS and social services, as well as the wider public sector.
The new report from NHS Providers, Right place, right time has analysed and explored the issues involved in improving transfers of care.
Led by the former care minister and chair of the Tavistock and Portman NHS Foundation Trust, the Rt Hon Paul Burstow, the commission’s report offers practical approaches, drawing on good practice in health, local government, social care and housing, and supports members and their partners to tackle the causes of delayed transfers of care in all settings.
Responding report, published today, our Chair, Anna Bradley, said:
“Nationally our findings echo those of the commissions report. In July our report 'Safely Home' on unsafe discharge found that, while there is good practice in places, far too many people are experiencing poor discharge because of disjointed health and social care services.
“We know that an estimated one in 20 bed days are used by people experiencing delayed discharge in a mental health settings.
"People we spoke to did not feel involved in the planning of their discharge and many were kept mental health settings too long despite being clinically assessed as ready to go home. Often this is simply because funding for community care or housing arrangements could not be agreed.
“This can have a knock-on effect on an individual’s ongoing mental health and wellbeing an affect their path towards recovery. We want to see services working together to ensure people are involved in their discharge planning, aren’t kept in hospital too long and get the ongoing care and support they are entitled to.”
