Carer Involvement Can Reduce Hospital Re-admission Rate

The Princess Royal Trust for Carers launched a new report Out of Hospital today. It urges policy makers and health services and commissioners to work together with carers and carers’ organisations to make discharge smoother for carers and patients.

The aim of the report is to demonstrate practical ways to involve carers and patients at the point of hospital discharge, thereby improving their health and saving time and money through avoiding unnecessary readmission to hospital.

Carole Cochrane, Chief Executive at The Princess Royal Trust for Carers says: “Too frequently, when patients are discharged from hospital and need care at home, the family - without being involved in planning - receives inadequate or no support to help them.

“The strains of caring can lead to a carer being on the verge of a physical or emotional breakdown. When this situation occurs, the original patient requires hospital readmission and the carer can become a patient as well, thus resulting in spiralling costs.

“Hospital staff and commissioners must respect the role and expertise of carers as their partners-in-care to improve the patient’s experience of leaving hospital. As hospitals are now responsible for the well-being of patients for 30 days after they are discharged, this report is very timely in helping them to effectively do this.”

Out of Hospital report findings are based on an academic literature review and two pilot projects carried out in Swindon and Barnet, funded by GlaxoSmithKline.

Further information:

Read the Out of Hospital Project details and Report

Or read the latest blog by The Trust's Development Manager (South East), Beryl Cross: “Out of Hospital” Report Calls for Carer Involvement in Discharge Planning”

Statement of Support for the Report (132 KB)

Published: 21 July 2010