Previously situated to the rear of the hospital site, the Discharge Lounge has now moved to a newly refurbished space within the West Ward Block at DRI, accessed via the Thorne Road entrance. The department welcomed its first patients on Monday 28 July 2025.
The new location offers improved access to transport links, including local bus services and the Park and Ride shuttle, with stops conveniently located on Thorne Road.
For those being collected by car or taxi, a dedicated patient pick-up area is available, alongside parking for community service vehicles transferring patients to ongoing care providers.
A Discharge Lounge is a designated area within larger hospitals such as the DRI that help to improve patient flow by freeing up inpatient beds for patients waiting to be admitted. The facility provides a safe, comfortable space for patients who are clinically ready to leave the hospital while they wait for transfer home or to a community setting.
The new department is a modern, welcoming space which is suited to the needs of all patients. Having a soothing colour scheme, it has carefully selected decorative murals that depict Doncaster landmarks and local landscapes.
The spaces have been designed with input from clinicians specialising in dementia care, helping patients confidently navigate their surroundings, including a large mural of a bus near the exit, which acts as a visual cue to their onward journey.
Providing both bed and seated areas, the Discharge Lounge is supported by a dedicated team specialising in the safe and effective transition from hospital to home or onward care.
Sam Sidwell, Head of Patient Flow, said: “The Discharge team is delighted that our patients can benefit from this improved and welcoming environment before they return home or on to further support within the community.”
To mark the opening, colleagues from the Discharge Lounge, the Capital Planning project team, and construction partners were joined by Richard Parker OBE, Chief Executive, Denise Smith, Chief Operating Officer, and Suzanne Stubbs, Deputy Chief Operating Officer at DBTH.
Denise said: “This is a fantastic new facility for the Trust, offering patients a more comfortable and supportive environment as they prepare to leave our care.”
Dr Kirsty Edmondson-Jones, Director of Infrastructure at DBTH, said: “The completion of this redevelopment at Doncaster Royal Infirmary is an exciting step towards a new era of care at DRI. With the Discharge Lounge now complete, we can continue to enhance our clinical spaces in line with our Healthier Together strategy, ensuring we provide the very best environments for our patients.”
The Discharge Lounge is part of a wider £19.8 million investment at Doncaster Royal Infirmary, including the relocation of the Surgical Same Day Emergency Care department next month, and will pave the way for a new, purpose-built state-of-the-art Department of Critical Care.
Find out more about the ways the Trust is improving the places it delivers care on the DBTH website: www.dbth.nhs.uk/improving-our-hospitals