Hospital discharge penalties could work but will require rigorous evaluation

Nigel Edwards, policy director at the NHS Confederation, which represents over 95% of NHS organisations said:

"While in the longer term a focus on outcomes and patient experience will deliver better quality care, there is evidence to suggest that having something like a manufacturer's warranty on hospital procedures and paying hospitals for performance in this way works. The main challenge will be in implementing the policy effectively.

"Sometimes discharging people with complex health problems back home as quickly as possible is the result of a finely balanced clinical judgement, and, because of the level of ill-health such patients have, there will inevitably be some who need emergency readmission.

"Being able to distinguish these cases from those where discharge has simply occurred too early is difficult but will be key to making something like this work. Complex policy ideas like this need rigorous evaluation to ensure they produce the desired results without too many adverse effects."