A Completed Cycle Audit of Psychiatric Discharge Summaries

Patients discharge summaries are important as they record a vital miles stone in patients' care. Their accurate record improves patients' care and clarifies communication between different health professionals.

60 Discharge summaries from different consultant psychiatrists' case load were audited. The results were analysed and presented with recommendations to improve them a format was suggested. A reaudit of 62 discharge summaries was carried out by the same team after three years in the same catchment area but the practice has changed to inpatient and community.

Improvement in most of the areas audited occur in the reaudit which indicates the usefulness of audit in improving clinical practice which a pivotal part of clinical governance.

This completed audit cycle has proven that clinical practice has been reviewed and methods of improving it have been implemented. It has been noted that more items were reviewed and added to the second cycle which should be condoned.

Discharge summaries are important clinical documents in secondary and primary care communications. They are helpful for secondary care staff as they good references for people in out of hours services and Accident and Emergency. Good quality discharge summaries improve patients care and make it easy to manage clinical risk.