This course teaches doctors how to write a discharge summary that a GP can act on safely. It explains what GPs and community teams need, the national standards for discharge information, and the errors that most often cause harm, using worked examples that turn a weak summary into a strong one.
What you will learn
- Explain the purpose of a discharge summary and who reads and acts on it.
- Structure a discharge summary using the nationally agreed headings for discharge information.
- Record medicines changes accurately, with the reason for each change and any monitoring required.
- Write clear, specific actions for the GP and community teams, and distinguish them from actions the hospital will complete.
- Recognise and avoid the common errors that make discharge summaries unsafe.
Course content
- Why discharge summaries matter (2 min)
- What a discharge summary should contain (2 min)
- Medicines on discharge (2 min)
- Writing actions for the GP (2 min)
- Common errors and how to avoid them (2 min)
- Special situations and talking to the patient (4 min)
- Case study: rewriting a discharge summary (3 min)
- Knowledge check (10 questions, 10 min)
- Guided reflection (15 min)
Standards and guidance covered
- GMC: Good Medical Practice (2024), including the duties on record keeping and sharing information with colleagues
- Professional Record Standards Body: eDischarge summary standard
- NICE guideline NG27: Transition between inpatient hospital settings and community or care home settings for adults with social care needs
- NICE guideline NG5: Medicines optimisation
- NHS England: NHS Standard Contract requirements on discharge communication (England)
- UK Foundation Programme Curriculum (2021)
Certificate
Courses are free to study. When you pass the knowledge check (80%) and complete your reflection, you can buy a verified certificate showing your CPD time, with a unique ID and QR code that anyone can check on our verification page.
Study free at your own pace on any device.
Related guides
Record Keeping Mistakes That Lead to Complaints and Referrals
The record keeping mistakes that most often lead to complaints and regulator referrals for nurses and doctors, and how to write safer clinical notes.
How to Write a Good Discharge Summary: Checklist and Example
How to write a good discharge summary in the NHS: what GPs need, a section-by-section checklist, medicines changes, GP actions and a worked example.
Practitioner Insight is an independent education provider. It is not affiliated with or endorsed by the GMC, MPTS, NMC, HCPC, GPhC or any NHS organisation, and this information is not legal advice. If you have been referred to a regulator, speak to your defence organisation, trade union or legal representative.