23 July 2013
AN INVESTIGATION into why thousands of patients go against medical advice and self-discharge themselves from hospital is to begin in Sheffield and Lancaster.
Researchers from Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and Lancaster University are set to explore the exact reasons why patients self-discharge from hospital.
Between 2009 and 2010 almost 15 million patients were seen at hospitals in the UK, with around 1.5 per cent self-discharging – the equivalent of 225,000 people. It is especially common in ethnic minority and socially disadvantaged groups.
The two-year £6,000 study is to be led by Dr David Warriner, a specialist cardiology registrar at Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and Dr Laura Machin, a lecturer in medical ethics from Lancaster University’s Medical School.
Dr David Warriner, a specialist cardiology registrar at Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation, said: “Protecting and caring for patients is the prime concern of all health professionals, so it’s really important that we look at why a significant number of patients choose to leave hospital before they are ready and contrary to hospital advice.
“During this study, we will be talking to patients and healthcare professionals to understand why people choose to leave hospital against medical advice, at what stage of their treatment this occurs and how this impacts on any follow-up care needed.”
The pilot study will focus on patients who self-discharge from acute medical care, such as A&E departments and medical admissions units. Interviews will take place with healthcare professionals and hospital managers with direct experience of patients self-discharging and also patients who have self-discharged. Questions to be asked include: what the ethical issues of self-discharge are and why you believe people discharge themselves from hospital against medical advice.
Dr David Warriner recently discussed the issue of self-discharge in a paper published in the British Medical Journal. In this article he describes a common scenario where a young man suffering from a crushing chest pain self-discharged, before awaiting for the results of tests or treatment.
Self-discharge is higher in NHS departments dealing with patients suffering from mental health problems.
ENDS
