A survey of 100 NHS trusts in England found that 239,233 patients were discharged from wards between 11pm and 6am last year.
The findings were exposed by The Times who carried out a number of Freedom on Information requests requesting data on overnight discharges from hospitals.
It’s suggested the practice is taking place to free up beds, but Sir Bruce Keogh, the medical director of the NHS, expressed concern that some patients may be being discharged unnecessarily late.
He said, “Patients should only be discharged when it’s clinically appropriate, safe and convenient for them and their families. It is simply not fair to be sending people home late at night. We will look at this.”
Patient sent home barefoot at 4.30am
The Daily Mail claims one Isle of Wight patient said he was treated well in hospital, but criticised the discharge procedure in which he was sent home barefoot.
“After a period of observation while my condition stabilised I was told I was fit for discharge at 4.30am. I was barefoot in my night clothes and had no money, having been brought in by ambulance,” he said.
“The buses weren’t running and I eventually had to go home by taxi and pay a £40 fare as I live in West Wight. I think more consideration could be made to discharging people in the middle of the night who have no transport and are not clothed appropriately as it was very undignified.”
Updated 13.04.2012
Isle of Wight NHS Trust Chief Nurse Carol Alstrom comments, “The patient quoted in both The Times and the Daily Mail, today (12th April), made their comment on the Patient Opinion website three years ago following discharge after attending our A&E Department.
“As well as monitoring comments made via the web and participating in the national patient surveys we now undertake our own survey of patients which provides more immediate feedback and shows that in February 2012 over 95% of patients surveyed were satisfied or very satisfied with our services. We would certainly not expect a patient to be discharged from hospital barefoot or inappropriately dressed and patients who are discharged from wards do not leave the hospital in the middle of the night. However patients who do not qualify for NHS transport would have to meet their own travel costs.
“Our standards and expectations are set out on our website at www.iow.nhs.uk/wecare. Also detailed on our website and in leaflets in every ward and clinic area are the procedures for raising concerns and complaints. We would encourage those who have concerns to follow these procedures. Concerns and complaints are brought to the attention of the Executive Directors and the Trust Board on a regular basis and we take these issues very seriously.”
More recent comments made direct to St. Mary’s Hospital by patients and carers include:
“This is just to say that the service and care I received recently was excellent and I think the nurses should get the recognition they deserve”¦”¦ Level of care was exceptional and should deffinately (sic) be recognised”¦.As I am unable to send flowers I thought that a letter of recognition was the least I can do.”
“I should like to thank the Paramedics and St Mary’s A&E who were so professional and caring when *** needed medical help”¦”
“I would like to say that I cannot thank the hospital enough for all their kindness and help that was given from every department concerned. The A and E we [sic] absolutely rushed off their feet but still found time to help as we were at a loss to know what to do next. What was a very traumatic time for us was made so much more straightforward and easier to deal with.”
Image: Lars Ploughmann under CC BY 2.0
