Discharge to Assess: implications for social care practice
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Exploring older people's experiences of returning home from hospital on the Discharge to Assess pathway: implications for social care practice.
IRAS ID
320544
Contact name
Sarah Beeley
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University of Hertfordshire
Duration of Study in the UK
0 years, 10 months, 4 days
Research summary
The research is a qualitative study exploring older people's experiences of receiving social care support and assessment after returning home from hospital.
Achieving quick hospital discharges has become a national policy priority, due to pressure on NHS resources, the demands of an expanding elderly population, and evidence that remaining in hospital causes health decline to accelerate (DOHSC, 2022). This has led to the implementation of a new policy approach, “Discharge to Assess”, where social care assessment takes place after discharge, in people’s own homes.
As well as this resulting in reduced numbers of social care professionals in acute hospitals, changing demographics mean the number of older people requiring support is expected to rise. This makes it vital to learn from their views and perspectives, and gain a deeper understanding of the social care / social work role within this context. The study aims to articulate the importance of the social care / social work role concerning hospital discharge, and identify how it can be used to achieve outcomes that conform to older people's wishes.
Semi-structured interviews will be held with 15 older people, to learn about their experience of returning home from hospital. Among other areas, interviews will explore their feelings about preparedness for discharge; the nature of the Care Act assessment they received; how their social and emotional needs were supported; and how they believe their experience could have been improved.
REC name
East of England - Cambridgeshire and Hertfordshire Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
23/EE/0103
Date of REC Opinion
7 Jun 2023
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion