Patients and carers across County Durham and Darlington are invited to share details of their experience of being discharged from hospital. NHS County Durham and Darlington is running a survey and series of discussion groups to obtain patient and carer feedback and opinions on the hospital discharge process and journey from a patient perspective.
Hospital discharge is the process of a patient being released from hospital and sent home following an overnight (or several night) stay. Views are sought from patients or the carers of patients who have been discharged from hospital in the last 12 months.
Matthew James, Head of Operations at NHS County Durham and Darlington, explained, “Discharge planning is one of a number of priorities for the NHS in the North East, and we’re already working with service user and carer interest groups and patient networks across the county to drive this forward.
“The results of the survey and discussion groups will outline exactly where improvements need to be made, allowing us to develop an action plan going forward, and so I encourage all of those who have been through the discharge process to complete the survey and let us know how you found your experience.”
The questionnaire should only take ten minutes to complete, with the chance to enter into a prize draw to win a cash prize of £100 as a further incentive. The survey process is being hosted by an independent research agency, Explain Market Research, to ensure that responses are entirely confidential. The survey is open until Tuesday 14August 2012 and can be accessed at www.explainresearch.co.uk/surveys/dischargeplanning . A printed copy can be requested by contacting Christopher Sutherland at Explain on 0191 261 5261.
Patients and carers are also invited to attend one of the discussion groups being held in Chester-le-Street and Darlington. Those attending will be offered £25 as a thank you for their time and to cover any travelling costs incurred. The Chester-le-Street discussion group is taking place on Thursday 9 August between 2pm and 3.30pm. The Darlington event will be held at the Town Hall on Monday 13 August from 2pm to 3.30pm. If you or someone you care for has been discharged from hospital in the last 12 months and you would like to come along to talk about your experiences, please contact Chris Sutherland on 0191 261 5261 or Christopher@explainresearch.co.uk who will be able to book you a place at the session.
