Discharge of patients from hospital has in the past been handled haphazardly by healthcare professionals. Co-ordination of this important part of a person’s experience of hospital would have psychological and emotional benefits for patients, staff and the NHS as a whole. In this article, the author describes the role of the discharge co-ordinator in planning strategically for patient discharge. In a second article, to follow shortly, the author discusses how multidisciplinary liaison can be improved.

As the population ages, more and more people, especially those aged 85 years and over, have continuing healthcare needs (Audit Commission 1996). Increasingly, these needs are being met by members of a multidisciplinary team. This team includes: