Discharge to assess (D2A)
The discharge to assess or 'home first' process recognises that people have different needs when they no longer need hospital care.
Staying in hospital longer than you need to is not good for your recovery or wellbeing. We're asked to arrange discharge on the day the hospital staff agree you no longer need hospital care.
You cannot stay in hospital if you choose not accept the care offered to you on discharge.
The process identifies four types of patients - those who:
- need minimal help
- would benefit from short-term support to recover at home, before assessing their long-term care needs
- would benefit from short-term support to recover in a residential setting, before assessing their long-term care needs
- are unlikely to benefit from short-term support and need ongoing care, most probably in a residential or nursing home
When you ready to be discharged, we will have agreed what support is most applicable for you to leave hospital. Hospital and social care staff often refer to these options as 'pathways'.