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January 2024
‘Well, what are you going to do when you’re out there?’: a scoping review of successful hospital discharge for people with acquired disability and complex needs aged 18–65 years
Tags: hospital discharge
Description:
Discharge planning is the organisation of medical needs, supports, allied health professionals and community-based rehabilitation services for a person to receive once they leave hospital. This can be a complex and lengthy process when a person has acquired disability and complex support needs. As a result, the experience of transitioning from hospital to home is often stressful. A scoping review by La Trobe University and the Summer Foundation explored peer reviewed studies that reported on hospital discharge outcomes for people with acquired disability and complex support needs. The research presented 4 main principles
relating to successful hospital discharge, which informed 6 recommendations for better discharge outcomes.
You can read summary of the report here.
Citation:
Cubis L., Roseingrave E., Gosden-Kaye E. , Winkler D., Douglas J. ‘Well, what are you going to do when you’re out there?’: a scoping review of successful hospital discharge for people with acquired disability and complex needs aged 18–65 years. Brain Impairment
October 2023
Summer Foundation – La Trobe University Research Program 2022/2023
Tags: accessible housing, disability support, hospital discharge, NDIS, YPIRAC
Description:
The enduring research partnership between the Summer Foundation and La Trobe University’s Living with Disability Research Centre is testament to what is possible when rigorous academic methods are applied to real-world problems. The research program at the Summer Foundation is unashamedly ambitious. It needs to be in order to address the manifold challenges experienced by people with disability in Australia today.
Our Research team consists of more than 20 researchers, including experienced academics, clinical experts, research assistants, and doctoral candidates. They come from diverse backgrounds, including psychology, speech pathology, occupational therapy, physiotherapy and architecture. Together, the team work on more than 20 active projects covering topics as broad as younger people in residential aged care, hospital discharge, the disability housing market, and factors contributing to quality disability support.
This report outlines the research undertaken in 2022/23 as part of the program, our aims and our outputs.
August 2023
Housing Needs and Preferences to Support Discharge
Tags: health professional, hospital discharge, hospital resources, housing
Citation:
The Housing Needs and Preferences to Support Discharge Guide and Template are for health professionals to support a person with disability to describe the housing and support they want and need so that they can be discharged to suitable housing.
June 2023
Sample transition NDIS plan
Tags: hospital discharge, NDIS plan
Description:
A transition NDIS plan aims to facilitate a successful and timely discharge from hospital for NDIS participants. It is a 3–6 month plan that acts as a transition to a more extensive plan to be used post discharge.
First published: December 2019 as Sample interim NDIS plan
Last updated: June 2023
June 2023
Urgent access request cover letter
Tags: access request, hospital discharge
Description:
In some circumstances a person may be vulnerable to risk and need urgent supports. For example, they may be going back to live in a community setting with few supports of any kind after they are discharged from hospital, or they may not be able to return home and may be at risk of moving into a residential aged care facility.
Download a Word document template of the letter
First published: September 2019
Last updated: June 2023
August 2022
Summer Foundation – La Trobe University Research Program 2021/2022
Tags: accessible housing, disability support, hospital discharge, NDIS, YPIRAC
Description:
The Summer Foundation – La Trobe University Research Program is designed to understand the issue of young people in aged care. By researching the issues at each stage of the critical pathways that lead young people to aged care we can provide the evidence needed to create systems change that will solve this problem.
July 2022
Housing as a barrier to hospital discharge – Policy Position Statement by the Summer Foundation
Tags: hospital discharge, housing
Description:
People with disability who have high and complex needs often get stuck in hospital due to challenges accessing the housing and support needed to leave hospital. The transition from hospital to home requires a coordinated approach between the NDIS and health and housing sectors. Enabling access to appropriate housing and supports when participants are clinically fit for discharge prevents disruptions to patient flow and poor health outcomes stemming from extended hospital stays.
May 2022
Evaluating the discharge planning process: Barriers, challenges, and facilitators of timely and effective discharge for people with disability and complex needs
Tags: hospital discharge
Description:
Improving the pathway from hospital to the community is the key to reducing the number of younger Australians stuck in hospital and/or discharged to residential aged care (RAC). This report presents preliminary findings from three studies initiated to explore and identify barriers, challenges and facilitators of timely and effective discharge for people with disability and complex needs.
You can read a summary of the report here.
Citation:
Cubis, L., Ramme, R.A., Roseingrave, E., Minter, E., Winkler, D., & Douglas, J. (2022). Evaluating the discharge planning process: Barriers, challenges, and facilitators of timely and effective discharge for people with disability and complex needs. Summer Foundation and La Trobe University.
January 2022
Pre Budget Submission (2022)
Tags: hospital discharge, housing, NDIS
Description:
The Summer Foundation is pleased to work alongside the Federal Government to enable significant improvement in the lives of people with disability. The National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) is an incredible social policy initiative, providing life changing opportunities to people with disability.
July 2021
Hospital Discharge of NDIS Participants with High and Complex Needs – Policy Position Statement by the Summer Foundation
Tags: for policy makers, hospital discharge
Description:
Immediate action is needed to improve outcomes for people with complex disability. Significant reforms of the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) and health interface systems are needed to reduce unnecessary hospital stays and to prevent younger people with high and complex disabilities from being forced into unsuitable housing and support such as residential aged care (RAC).
This report examines the various problems and solutions specific to the NDIS and health interface to minimise extended hospital stays and increase successful returns to community life for people with disabilities.
July 2020
Capacity building framework training manual
Tags: health professional, hospital discharge, hospital resources, NDIS participant
Description:
In striving for best practice outcomes for NDIS participants, a health service may use this resource to provide a framework in the provision of information, training and mentoring to staff for practice change.
June 2020
Chris’s story – everything’s changed
Tags: disability support, hospital discharge, support coordinator
Description:
Chris shares his journey from hospital to his new home and the value of having good support around you.
May 2019
Penny’s story
Tags: hospital discharge, NDIS
Description:
After a hospital stay and her husband no longer her carer, Penny was unable to return home. She put in a change of circumstances to the NDIS. Penny now says her supports enable her to live the life she wants to live.
August 2018
Life After Discharge – from hospital to home
Tags: community, hospital discharge, occupational therapist
Description:
Donna King is an Occupational Therapist Case Manager. Donna discusses the importantce of communication after discharge and establishing community links.
August 2018
Discharge Planning from Hospital to Home
Tags: hospital discharge, occupational therapist
Description:
Donna King is an Occupational Therapist Case Manager working in the area of traumatic brain injury. Donna deals mainly with clients in rural locations. Donna says early contact is key to a good Discharge Plan.
August 2018
Chris’s experience with the health system
Tags: community, hospital discharge, support coordinator
Citation:
Chris was in hospital and rehab for 3 months. Chris’ explanation of that time was “I felt like a ping pong ball between the hospital and my care coordinator”.
August 2018
Chris’s aged care story
Tags: hospital discharge, nursing home, residential aged care (RAC)
Description:
Two and half years ago Chris was hospitalised. Chris knew he couldn’t return to his home in Launceston, he wanted to move closer to his parents on the north west coast of Tasmania. With no choices this would mean living in a nursing home.
July 2018
THE NDIS: A new landscape for people who acquire a disability
Tags: health professional, hospital discharge, NDIS
Description:
The NDIS is creating new possibilities for people with disability, but is a whole new world for health care professionals.
June 2018
Life in a nursing home
Tags: hospital discharge, NDIS, nursing home
Description:
Daniel went from hospital to a nursing home. He shares his experiences and ideas on how to improve the life of young people living in nursing homes.
June 2018
Deborah’s aged care story
Tags: hospital discharge, nursing home, residential aged care (RAC)
Description:
It all started Christmas Eve 2015. Deborah went from thinking about what she was going to cook for Christmas Day, to being in intensive care with all her organs shutting down. That was the beginning of Deborah’s journey into aged care.
June 2018
Hospital discharge video resources
Tags: hospital discharge, hospital resources, occupational therapist
Description:
Occupational Therapists share their experience of the hospital discharge process for people with a newly-acquired disability.
June 2018
Hospital discharge planning for young people with complex disability: Literature review
Tags: hospital discharge
Description:
The aim of the discharge planning process is to improve the coordination of a person’s services post-discharge and reduce the likelihood of unplanned hospital re-admissions. This review sought to explore the current evidence base for hospital discharge planning for young adults (aged 18-64) with disability and complex support needs. Successful discharge planning for this group is complex and requires effective cooperation between health and disability services.
Citation:
Knox, L., Symmons, M., Douglas, J., Hilton, G., & Winkler, D. (2018). Hospital discharge planning for young people with complex disability: Literature review. Summer Foundation.