HD Costs & Outcomes
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Hidden Costs of Hospital Discharge: Understanding the costs and outcomes associated with Hospital Discharge from the perspective of people, carers and local authorities
IRAS ID
350559
Contact name
Philip Kinghorn
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University of Birmingham
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 7 months, 31 days
Research summary
Most people who leave hospital can return to where they normally live and will get better without needing new or additional support. About 15 in every 100 people who no longer need hospital treatment need other forms of new support, such as community rehabilitation services or care at home.
Whilst family often support someone who has left hospital, no recent work has been done to understand family experiences, and how caring affects them emotionally, physically and financially. There is also little understanding of the impact on the older person themselves. Some costs to social care teams at the council may also be unplanned or unexpected at the point of discharge from hospital. Social care leaders report that people are leaving hospital with increasingly complex needs, and councils are struggling with the cost of supporting them.
We want to identify and estimate the “hidden costs” associated with hospital discharge, to older people themselves, family members and councils. We will also explore the circumstances in which hidden costs are high and/or potentially avoidable.
We will recruit 40 older people (and their family members) as they leave one of two hospitals in the West Midlands. We will select people who either: (i) return to where they normally live (with or without additional formal support), or (ii) move into a community facility to receive short-term rehabilitation or assessment.
We will interview people twice (at four and 16 weeks after discharge) to understand their experiences and how the older person is being supported. We will audio record interviews and use this for our analysis. We will also speak to health and care professionals to build up a full picture of what is happening, and check council records to get details of social care use.
REC name
Yorkshire & The Humber - Bradford Leeds Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
26/YH/0043
Date of REC Opinion
5 Mar 2026
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion