Leaving Hospital: A Step too Far for Risk-Based Regulation?

Area of Science:

• Healthcare Regulation
• Patient Safety
• Health Services Research

Background:

• Hospital discharge is a critical juncture in patient care, internationally recognized for its inherent risks to patient well-being and dignity.
• Patient safety incidents during hospital discharge are a significant concern within healthcare systems globally.
• Effective regulatory oversight is crucial to mitigate risks associated with the hospital discharge process.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine the effectiveness of risk-based regulation in addressing patient safety incidents during hospital discharge within the English National Health Service (NHS).
• To analyze how statutory regulators identify, conceptualize, and prioritize risks associated with hospital discharge.
• To evaluate the awareness and engagement of professional regulators in managing discharge-related patient safety risks.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of risk-based regulatory approaches applied to hospital discharge processes.
• Examination of how statutory regulators in the English NHS identify and prioritize discharge-related risks.
• Assessment of the awareness and role perception of professional regulators concerning discharge safety.

Main Results:

• The risk associated with hospital discharge is not uniformly recognized or sufficiently addressed by statutory regulators in the English NHS.
• Professional regulators demonstrate a notably low awareness of discharge-related risks and their responsibilities in mitigating them.
• Current regulatory frameworks appear insufficient to prevent avoidable patient safety incidents during hospital transitions.

Conclusions:

• There is a critical need to enhance the recognition and prioritization of hospital discharge risks among English NHS statutory regulators.
• Improving the awareness and engagement of professional regulators is essential for strengthening patient safety during discharge.
• Addressing these regulatory gaps is imperative to reduce avoidable patient safety incidents for individuals transitioning from hospital care.