Discharge planning: establishing an effective coordination team.

This article investigates the developing role of the discharge coordinator and explores how safe, effective and timely discharge from hospital can be achieved. In January 1996, a team of four discharge coordinators were jointly appointed by the King's Healthcare NHS Trust in partnership with the local social services department. The coordinators were appointed to work with the multidisciplinary teams to improve trustwide discharge planning practice. The team focused on six core objectives: central coordination, open interagency communication, continuing education, patient advocacy, information resource and audit of discharges. Despite the ward staff's early difficulties regarding the nature of the role, the team did begin to collaborate effectively when working alongside all members of the multidisciplinary team and with patients and families.