Case study:

13 February 2012

Blackpool rapid discharge pathway

---

Key points

---

The aim of Blackpool’s rapid discharge pathway is to facilitate a safe, smooth and seamless transition of care from hospital to community for people with terminal illness who choose to be cared for in their preferred place of care for their last hours and days of life.

An audit of the case notes of 60 people who died at Blackpool Victoria Hospital in December 2009 were examined and found that the reasons for not discharging people to their preferred place of care were down to:

• Lack of identification by clinical teams that people were at the end of life
• Failure to instigate discussion with individuals and relatives about end of life care
• Lack of co-ordination in care planning by clinical teams.

A successful rapid discharge service has been offered by the Trust since November 2009 by the hospital discharge team. The service is initiated once a multi-disciplinary team agree that:

• The person has an advanced, progressive medical condition
• Their condition is deteriorating
• All reversible causes for deterioration that could benefit from hospital treatment have been excluded
• Senior medical team (Consultant or Registrar) agree the above and the prognosis
• The person wishes to be discharged from hospital for end of life care.

The service provides two options for people at the end of life, based on the clinical assessment – a four hour discharge for those with hours/days to live, and a fast-track discharge for those with days/weeks to live. The latter will see a discharge within 24 hours.

Between November 2009 and September 2011, 166 people had been discharged via the fast-track process, with 32 through the four hour rapid discharge process.

Download Blackpool rapid discharge pathway poster 2239Kb PDF

---

Back to top