Discharge from hospital and early supported discharge

‘Discharge from hospital and early supported discharge’ provides some useful guidance and outlines the issues that we encounter in facilitating effective discharge from hospital following a stroke. Hospital discharge is an important milestone in a stroke patient’s journey. It marks the end of the acute hospital episode, and the start of a new life living with and adjusting to their stroke and its sequelae. It can be a stressful time for patients and their carers, but careful and thorough discharge planning can help to ease the transition from hospital to home. The chapter explores the timing of discharge, models of care after discharge, early supported discharge, the evidence from SSNAP (Sentinel Stroke National Audit Programme) in the United Kingdom, the initiative of CLAHRC (Collaborative for Leadership in Applied Health Research and Care), guidance from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), institutionalization, role of capacity, role of IMCA (independent mental capacity advocate), communication with primary care, and follow-up after discharge from hospital.