NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde: getting it right one ward at a time

Effective Discharge Planning

By knowing in advance which patients will require discharge letters, Junior Doctors can get them underway far sooner than they would have done previously, resulting in fewer hold-ups on the day of discharge. During the Friday board round, teams look ahead to the weekend to identify what needs to be done to facilitate weekend discharges.

"By knowing in advance which patients will require discharge letters, Foundation Year 1's can get them underway far sooner than they would have done previously, resulting in fewer hold-ups on the day of discharge."

The Queen Elizabeth University Hospital has also introduced criteria-led discharges, whereby consultants specify in advance that, providing the patient meets certain pre-determined criteria, they can be discharged by the nurse or junior doctor without having to wait to see the consultant again.

Other improvements introduced at the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital include patient discharge lounges, which are well-equipped and available for patients to use for 12 hours every weekday. They play a part in ensuring that beds are freed up earlier in the day.