Providing breakfast for patients leaving hospital in the discharge lounge is helping to free up beds on the wards earlier in the day for poorly patients requiring admission.
Dr Adrian Bull, Chief Executive talks to patients having breakfast in the discharge lounge
At Eastbourne DGH a Breakfast Club has recently been launched to offer patients being discharged a breakfast between 7.00am and 9.00am. This is helping to free up beds sooner and offer patients a better discharge experience. Patents are collected from the wards with personal care and drugs given in the discharge lounge. This is releasing time for ward staff to prepare of new patients.
Sue Taylor Clinical Service Manager for Patient Pathway and Discharge said: “Getting patients discharged earlier in the day is an important factor in improving patient flow through the hospital. Offering breakfast in the discharge lounge provides a better patient experience when they are leaving hospital. They don’t feel rushed and they can sit at a table and enjoy some hot toast with jam or marmalade. It helps to release time for nurses to plan their day for newly admitted patients.”
Sue added: “I am a firm believer that a patient’s discharge is often their final memory of their stay in hospital. Therefore we must work to make this experience as smooth as possible for patients to have a positive recollection of their stay in hospital.”
Marilyn Mills, who had been admitted to hospital whilst on holiday in Eastbourne said: “The breakfast was great. In the discharge lounge I didn’t feel I was in the way whilst I was waiting to go home. It was a nice and relaxed, a good time to get ready for the outside world.”