Working together to improve patient pathways

Specialist staff from across the Hampshire care system came together at the Ark Centre, Basingstoke, this week for a workshop on patient journeys, taking a collaborative approach to navigating a way through the challenges governing complex discharges so that hospital flow and patient care can be improved.

As well as Hampshire Hospitals’ matrons and nursing staff, there were representatives from adult social care, the integrated discharge team, frailty team, pharmacy, and the Integrated Care Board.

From geographic pressures, through to specialist equipment requirements, the session explored issues such as reducing bed moves for frail patients to the impact of difficult social circumstances on discharges.

Understanding the discharge picture at the point of admission so that a patient’s hospital departure can be more effectively managed was unanimously recognised as a valuable step forward. It was agreed that this would be particularly beneficial for frail patients whose outcomes are improved with a faster pathway to onward care outside of a hospital. 

zena ludick , Hampshire Hospitals’ operations director and host of the workshop said: “Bringing people together is the best way to find solutions; this workshop enabled us to collaborate around shared challenges and strengthen the partnership between teams inside and outside of the hospital.

“We had constructive conversations that will translate into changes to how we manage patient pathways so that the right care can be provided in the right environment, relieving pressure on our acute services.”

During the workshop it was recognised that there is not always clarity around the right pathways for patients as the level of care needed may vary according to particular conditions and there are times when the best option for onward care isn’t obvious.

Andy Hyett , Hampshire Hospitals’ chief operating officer briefly joined the workshop, he said: “Acute hospitals often aren’t the best place to provide the rehabilitative support that people may need following treatment, this coupled with unrelenting demand for services means we need to find a way to better navigate our care system for the benefit of patients.”

“Establishing a shared understanding and agreeing practical solutions will enable us to balance capacity with demand more effectively and work more efficiently so that patients are cared for in the right environment for their recovery.

A follow-up session will take place in the new year to identify solutions.

Mel Landreth , Operational Service Lead for the Transfer of Care hub said: “This session generated honest and transparent conversations that I believe will make a real difference to improving patient flow.

“The shared commitment to make improvements to the discharge process will improve patient flow, reduce a patient’s length of stay, and ultimately lead to better outcomes.”