Sharing Hospital Admission Risks with Patients in Emergency Care Settings (‘SHARPIES’)
Consultant in Public Health Medicine, University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay NHS Foundation Trust
Director of Allied Health Professions, University of Cumbria
In a county of rural and coastal communities, where the nearest hospital can be a long journey from home, decisions about whether admission is the right choice matter all the more.
When someone arrives at an emergency department, being admitted to hospital can feel like the safest option. But a hospital stay carries risks of its own, particularly for older people: muscles weaken quickly with bed rest, sleep and routine are disrupted, and confusion and infection become more likely. Some people leave hospital less independent than when they arrived. For many, there are safe alternatives, such as treatment at home or support from community services, yet these risks and choices are rarely talked through when a decision to admit is being considered.
Over 17 months, the team will review the international evidence on how hospital admission risks are understood and communicated; survey and interview clinicians working in urgent and emergency care across Cumbria and Morecambe Bay; and hold focus groups with members of the public to understand how people would like these conversations to be approached and communicated. The findings will be brought together to design a shared decision-making toolkit: a practical aid to help clinicians and patients talk openly about the risks and benefits of admission that will help decide the care and treatment that is right for them.
Open conversations could help people avoid hospital stays they do not need, protect their independence, keep care closer to home and ease pressure on urgent and emergency services.