News – 10 September 2026
Healthwatch Rutland is inviting local people to share their experiences of leaving hospital as part of a new national survey to improve hospital discharge experiences across the country.
When you are discharged and leave the hospital ward where you were being treated you may be returning home, moving to a care home, to a community hospital bed, or somewhere else to continue your recovery.
If patients are discharged too early without proper support, they may need to be readmitted to hospital or seek help from GPs or pharmacies.
Meanwhile, delays in discharging medically fit people create issues for new patients needing beds, leading to longer wait times in A&E and treatment in corridors until beds are available.
Locally, in April 2026, data from the NHS shows that 13.2% of patients discharged by University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust were discharged at least one day after they were recorded as ready for discharge. This was approximately 826 patients out of 6281.
We think leaving hospital should be a step towards recovery, not a source of stress or uncertainty. Whether you had to wait longer than expected to leave hospital, left before you felt ready, or struggled to get the support you needed afterwards, your experience matters.
The survey, which asks you to share experiences that happened in the last year, is particularly aimed at people who experienced difficulties during the discharge process, including:
• Delays in leaving hospital.
• Leaving hospital before they were ready.
• Problems accessing the support, equipment, medication, information, or follow-up care needed after leaving hospital.
The survey closes on 9 October.
By taking a few minutes to share your story, you can help Healthwatch make hospital discharge processes work better for patients and carers across England.