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This report looks at hospital discharge and related services. It acknowledges discharge is a complicated subject and is very particular to each and every person. Some people want to go home before they are ready whilst others may be worried about returning home. When a patient is ready to leave hospital, the priority for the hospital, Kent County Council, the Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs) and the Community Services is to ensure that the patient can move back home with the care they need, or to an appropriate Care Home or nursing setting. 99 people were spoken to including patients, carers and families; Practice Managers; Care Home Managers; Kent County Council; Maidstone & Tunbridge Wells Hospital staff; Patient Transport staff; Tonbridge Cottage Hospital staff; Voluntary organisations. This was done by carrying out 6 Enter & View visits to 4 locations and 2 final visits later in the year. During those visits 57 patients and many staff were spoken to. Two patients who had been discharged home were also visited to talk about their experiences. Information packs were given to a further 300 patients who were discharged from hospital to home as part of the Home First service. In addition Care Home staff, Practice Managers and commissioners were spoken to in order to gather their feedback. 32 people completed an online survey to share their experiences of their discharge process. The report clearly details the breakdown of the information received and includes responses from the NHS Trust and the County Council.

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