This week we’re reporting how a ward responded after receiving a complaint about how an elderly patient was discharged to a care home late in the evening, as well as how we communicated with the family.

The IV antibiotics had been changed to oral antibiotics as the patient kept pulling the cannula out, but the family were not told this.  As a result, the family thought the antibiotics had been changed to oral to help free up a bed.  This prompted the complaint as the family thought it was an unsafe discharge.

The TTOs were not issued until late in the afternoon on the day of discharge which delayed the transport – it can’t be booked until the TTOs have been issued.

A number of things have been put in place so this doesn’t happen again. They now:

* keep relatives up-to-date with changes meaning they are involved and also reassured.

* explain the reason for changing to oral antibiotics or other meds

* explain the discharge process to give the patient and their family the opportunity to ask the questions they need

*  write up discharge medications the day before discharge to help patients leave before 3pm on the next day.