Criteria-Led Discharge Readiness Audit

This project measures whether adult inpatients have documented discharge readiness status, an expected date of discharge that is reviewed, an intended discharge pathway or destination, and criteria-led discharge criteria that are specific, measurable and actionable by an authorised practitioner. It also reviews senior endorsement, action owners and timescales, MDT, therapy, pharmacy and care transfer input, patient and carer communication, documented barriers and escalation, and whether discharge actually progressed once criteria were met.

• Acute medicine, general medicine, elderly care and surgical teams
• Discharge coordinators, care transfer hub and patient flow teams
• Nurses, therapists, pharmacists and advanced practitioners
• QI, audit and clinical governance leads
• Supervisors and educators supporting ARCP and appraisal evidence

• Measure documentation of discharge readiness, criteria to reside and expected date of discharge
• Assess whether criteria-led discharge criteria are specific, measurable and authorised
• Assess ownership, timescales and MDT input for outstanding discharge actions
• Identify barriers to discharge and whether escalation is documented
• Measure whether discharge progressed when criteria were met
• Generate governance-ready and ARCP-ready evidence

• Anonymised audit reference, audit date and audit cycle
• Anonymised case context: age band, admission type, specialty, length of stay, frailty and cognitive need
• Clinical area / location recorded in project setup
• Fourteen discharge readiness and criteria-led discharge criteria (met / partly / not met / not applicable)
• Barrier, barrier category, follow-through outcome, learning points and any project custom fields

• Live dashboard
• Audit report (Word)
• Executive summary (Word)
• Excel workbook
• PowerPoint presentation
• Conference poster
• ARCP evidence summary

• Designed to use anonymised or pseudonymised audit identifiers.
• This tool supports, but does not replace, clinical judgement.
• Local policy, formulary and specialist advice should be followed.
• Organisations remain responsible for local governance arrangements.
• Criteria-led discharge must follow local policy on authorised practitioners, exclusions and escalation.
• Use anonymised audit references only — never patient-identifiable information.

Supporting guidance from the Lazomis QI Resource Library. Authoritative clinical standards referenced by this project remain separate.

• Patient FlowImproving Board Round Effectiveness for Enhanced Patient FlowThis article outlines practical strategies for NHS teams to enhance the effectiveness of board rounds, fostering better patient flow, streamlined decision-making, and improved multidisciplinary team communication. It provides actionable advice for clinical leads and operational managers looking to optimise this critical daily meeting.
• Patient FlowOptimising Patient Flow Through Effective Board RoundsEffective board rounds are a cornerstone of efficient patient flow within NHS hospitals, facilitating coordinated care and reducing bottlenecks. This guide explores their strategic implementation and common challenges.
• Quality ImprovementPlanning Effective PDSA Cycles for Quality ImprovementThis guide provides a practical, step-by-step approach to planning effective Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) cycles for quality improvement initiatives within the NHS, focusing on robust design and learning. It covers essential considerations from defining your aim to anticipating challenges, helping teams systematically test changes.
• Patient FlowOptimising Hospital Flow: The Critical Role of Effective Board RoundsEffective board rounds are a cornerstone of efficient hospital operations, playing a crucial role in coordinating patient care, managing risks, and optimising patient flow. This resource explores the key elements that contribute to a successful board round and provides practical guidance for their implementation.