Guide to supporting patients’ choices to avoid long hospital stays

The guide aims to reduce the time people spend in hospital, especially when they are ready to depart and no longer need acute care, but are delayed whilst making decisions about, or making arrangements for, their ongoing care.

We know that people’s physical and mental ability and independence can decline if they are spending time in a hospital bed unnecessarily, and they are also at risk of acquiring hospital acquired infections.

For people aged 80 years and over, 10 days spent in a hospital bed equates to 10 years of muscle wasting.

Severely ill patients may be unable to access services, if hospital beds are occupied with patients whose care can be safely managed in another place.

Ideally, people should make decisions about their long-term care outside of hospital, either in their own home or in an interim bed, where further recovery and assessments can happen in a way that their true long term needs are understood.

This guide has been produced by stakeholders (including hospital discharge teams; local authority adult services commissioners; continuing healthcare commissioners; independent care sector providers, including voluntary and housing sectors; patients; and carers).