What was leaving hospital like?

Healthwatch Kingston would like to acknowledge the large number of positive responses to this survey from patients about their experience of discharge from Kingston Hospital. We made a number of recommendation to support the Trust build upon quality improvements made to date. To read the Trust's response to the below recommendations, please download the full report. 

Recommendation 1:

Healthwatch Kingston recommends the Trust explore how to ensure all patients, whether in Kingston Hospital for a planned or unplanned stay, are given an estimated time for discharge at least 24 hours before they are due to leave.

Recommendation 2:

Healthwatch Kingston recommends the Trust explore ways to further improve staff communication so that all patients, those that help them at home (for example a friend or carer) and particularly people who have had unplanned stays in Kingston Hospital, feel more involved in the preparation of their discharge.

Recommendation 3:

Healthwatch Kingston recommends the Trust introduce ways to further reduce delays when leaving Kingston Hospital, in order that patients with either planned or unplanned stays in hospital are provided for equitably.

Recommendation 4:

Healthwatch Kingston recommends that if common reasons for delay to discharge from Kingston Hospital, such as access to medication, waiting for discharge letters and transport can take longer than expected, the Trust consider providing more realistic discharge times to manage patient, family, friend and carer expectations.

Recommendation 5:

Healthwatch Kingston recommends the Trust provide all patients with printed information about what to do after they leave Kingston Hospital (regardless of whether patients are being discharged from planned or unplanned stays).

Recommendation 6:

Healthwatch Kingston recommends that when reviewing information provided at discharge, the Trust consider: being more detailed; using less medical jargon; and how this information might be provided digitally.

Recommendation 7:

Healthwatch Kingston recommends the Trust explore ways to ensure discharge information is provided in accessible and alternative formats for disabled people, particularly where staff are discharging people with living with a learning disability, autism and other neurodiverse conditions.

Recommendation 8:

Healthwatch Kingston recommends the Trust and Community Care Providers explore ways to ensure that appropriate, ‘joined-up’ follow-up care in the community is provided to patients requiring it after they have been discharged from Kingston Hospital.