It’s important that patients are discharged out of hospital as soon as they are well as delayed discharges can lead to difficulties in admitting patients who are in need of immediate hospital care.

NHS Wyre Forest Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) is working with health and social care partners across Worcestershire to improve the discharge process and make sure that it is as smooth and timely as possible.

There has been significant investment in enhancing community nursing and therapy teams so that more treatments can be offered at home.

A number of schemes have been developed in the county, including the launch of a ‘Discharge to Assess’ scheme. This aims to shorten the stay for people in hospital by offering enhanced care for the first few weeks of a patient’s return home whilst longer term arrangements for family or social care support are made. This care could also be provided on a temporary basis in a care home if the patient is unable to return home.

To support our local services to be available to those who need them most, local health and social care organisations are asking anyone who currently has a relative in hospital to think whether there is anything extra they could do to help them get home more quickly.