King's College London Student Clinical Ethics Committee Case Discussion: An Elderly Patient Wants to go Home Following Inpatient Treatment, but it is Thought She May be at Risk in her Own Home and her Discharge is Delayed

Abstract

The Student Clinical Ethics Committee considered the case of an elderly woman who remained in hospital for 2 months after treatment, despite being considered medically fit for discharge, causing her great distress. The committee considered the justifications for keeping the patient on the ward in order to determine whether she was fit to be discharged to her home. The case study summarises the reflections of the committee and focuses on the capacity of the patient to make the decision to go home, the potential risks and consequences of discharging her, the concerns of the health care teams and their responsibility to make a decision.