Discharge to Assess

The Hospital Discharge Service: Policy and Operating Model, published in August 2020, sets out operating procedures for the NHS and providers of NHS-commissioned acute and community services. There is an expectation within the model that discharge to assess (D2A) arrangements will be fully rolled out across England.

While the policy only applies to England, there are already examples of well-established D2A models within all four UK nations, and many areas across the UK introduced D2A arrangements in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The principles of D2A are closely aligned to the principles of occupational therapy, and occupational therapists are vital to the successful implementation of D2A processes at a local level. There are opportunities for occupational therapists to develop new skills and competencies through the implementation of D2A, and to take up leadership positions within their local systems.

D2A pathways are reliant upon effective communication and collaboration between acute, community and local authority teams, and occupational therapists are encouraged to develop links with their counterparts in other locality services to facilitate shared learning and create pathways that work effectively for both patients and staff.