Hospitals Request Morning Discharges for Patients

Healthcare facilities across Cambridgeshire and Peterborough are appealing to patients’ families and friends to be prepared for morning discharges as the winter season approaches. The local NHS stated that patients leaving the hospital before midday offers “significant benefits” to them and helps “reduce pressures on the hospitals and staff.” Relatives are being asked to transport individuals home or arrange suitable travel, and to ensure their residences are ready with the heating activated and food supplies available. Chief nurse Carol Anderson remarked: “Staying in a hospital bed longer than you need can put you at risk and has a significant negative impact on your mental and physical wellbeing.” She added that “The knock-on effect of delayed discharge of patients also impacts the whole of our local health system.” NHS research indicates that an extended stay in a hospital bed can have a considerable negative effect on an individual’s health. For patients over the age of 80, the research suggests that a week of bed rest can result in muscle ageing equivalent to 10 years, along with an increased likelihood of contracting in-ward viruses and infections. Ms Anderson commented: “Our priority is to help patients get better and support them to leave hospital when the time is right and it’s safe to do so.” She further explained: “Family and friends can help us get them home by making sure they can provide or arrange transport home, stocking up their fridge, popping the heating on and making sure their loved one has got everything they need to continue their recovery.”