Doctors slam “unacceptable” move after hospital asks clinicians to discharge patients early

Medical leaders have warned that doctors and patients are being placed at risk after it emerged that an NHS hospital had encouraged doctors to discharge patients early because of a lack of beds.

The internal email to senior clinicians, seen by the BBC,1 was sent by the Royal Cornwall Hospitals Trust in response to “significant pressure” on services.

To free up capacity the trust said that it was having to consider discharging patients “earlier than some clinicians would like.” It admitted that these patients could come to harm, describing the move as a “proportionate risk.”

Chaand Nagpaul, BMA council chair, …