Discharge to Assess (D2A)

The Discharge Without Delay (DwD) programme is a national initiative in Scotland designed to help people leave hospital as soon as it is safe, ensuring they receive the right care in the right place. It focuses especially on supporting older adults and people living with frailty to avoid long, unnecessary hospital stays, which can negatively affect health and independence.

Why it exists

Staying in hospital longer than needed can lead to reduced mobility, confusion, and loss of independence. The DwD programme aims to prevent these harms, improve patient experience, and reduce pressure on busy hospitals.

What the programme does

DwD works across the entire health and social care system, bringing together hospitals, community services, social care, and rehabilitation teams.

What the programme hopes to achieve

Across Scotland, the programme aims to:

• Reduce time people spend in hospital when they no longer need medical care
• Improve recovery at home or in community settings
• Support smoother flow through hospitals so others can be admitted quickly

What this means for the public

For patients and families, DwD means:

• Faster, safer discharge home whenever possible
• Better communication about what to expect and when discharge will happen
• More flexible support provided in the community
• A focus on maintaining independence, dignity and wellbeing

Discharge to Assess, helps people return home as the preferred option, where assessments can be carried out in a more familiar, comfortable environment.

The D2A Service will support people in their own home to regain independence through a period reablement. Reablement simply means helping people to get back to doing things for themselves, with the support of the D2A Service for a time limited period.

We have put together a short survey below for people who have recently been supported by the Discharge to Assess Service. The survey should take no longer than 10 minutes to complete.