Quality standard
Quality statement 6: Discharge information
Quality statement 6: Discharge information
Quality statement
People with an acute painful sickle cell episode are given information before discharge on how to continue to manage their current episode.
Rationale
People with an acute painful sickle cell episode who are discharged from hospital need written information on accessing specialist advice, managing side effects of treatment and obtaining additional medication. This applies to everyone whether they are still taking strong opioids at the time of discharge or whether the episode ended while they were in hospital. Because sickle cell disease is a rare condition everyone should have this information so that they can discuss their needs with other healthcare professionals who are involved in continuing care.
Quality measures
Structure
Evidence of local arrangements to ensure that people with an acute painful sickle cell episode are given information before discharge on how to continue to manage their current episode.
Data source: Local data collection.
Process
Proportion of people with an acute painful sickle cell episode (or their parents or carers if appropriate) who are given information before discharge on how to continue to manage their current episode.
Numerator – the number of people in the denominator (or parents or carers if appropriate) who are given information on how to continue to manage their current episode.
Denominator – the number of people with an acute painful sickle cell episode who are discharged from hospital.
Data source: Local data collection.
What the quality statement means for different audiences
Service providers ensure the availability of information on how to continue to manage acute painful sickle cell episodes. They should also ensure protocols are in place for people to be provided with this information before discharge.
Healthcare professionals give people with an acute painful sickle cell episode, information before discharge on how to continue to manage their current episode.
Commissioners ensure that they commission services in which people with an acute painful sickle cell episode are given information before discharge on how to continue to manage their current episode.
People with a painful attack of sickle cell disease (acute painful sickle cell episode) are given information before they leave hospital on how to get specialist support, how to get extra medication and how to manage any side effects of the treatment.
Source guidance
Sickle cell disease: managing acute painful episodes in hospital. NICE guideline CG143 (2012), recommendation 1.1.28
Definitions of terms used in this quality statement
Discharge information
Written information on:
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how to obtain specialist support
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how to obtain additional medicines
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how to manage any side effects of the treatment they have received in hospital
[NICE's guideline on sickle cell disease, recommendation 1.1.28]
Equality and diversity considerations
All discharge information given to people with an acute painful sickle cell episode should be culturally appropriate and accessible to people with additional needs, such as physical, sensory or learning disabilities, and to people who do not speak or read English. People with an acute painful sickle cell episode should have access to an interpreter or advocate if needed.
It may be appropriate in some cases, particularly with children and young people or those with learning disabilities, to provide information to parents and carers as well as the person with the acute painful sickle cell episode.