Speakers

Safer Hospital Discharges Through Dorset’s Innovative Trusted Assessor Service

Dorset’s independent Trusted Assessor model is transforming the way care providers, health and social care work together to support safe and effective hospital discharges. This seminar explores how a collaborative, person-centred approach has created safer discharges, improved communication across organisations, and eliminate failed discharges by ensuring people return home with the right support in place such as discharge paperwork, equipment, outpatient appointments and timely transport to work around the patient and the provider.

Led by Anna Knight and Sarah Sewell, the session will provide practical insight into how the model operates across acute hospitals and community services, creating stronger partnerships between councils, providers, and NHS teams. Attendees will hear how trusted assessment processes can improve and enhance patient flow, reduce pressure on hospital beds, evidence care sector confidence, and deliver safer outcomes for the individuals we all support.
The seminar will also share lessons learned from implementing the Dorset model, including overcoming system challenges, embedding collaborative decision-making, and creating sustainable discharge pathways that work for both health and social care partners. Delegates will leave with practical ideas and transferable learning that can support their own discharge improvement programmes and integrated care ambitions.

Speaker Bio

Anna Knight
Anna Knight is a the Chief Executive of the Dorset Care Association and a Care Consultant, through her role with the Trusted Assessor service, she leads two teams in hospital discharge transformation and collaborative health and social care pathways across Dorset. With extensive experience working alongside acute hospitals, local authorities, care providers, and system partners, Anna has played a key role in developing innovative discharge models that support people to return home safely, reduce delays, and prevent failed discharges. Her work focuses on person-centred decision making, partnership working, and improving outcomes across the care sector. Anna is passionate about creating practical, sustainable solutions that strengthen collaboration between health and social care while improving patient flow and safety across the system.

Sarah Sewell
Sarah Sewell is Head of Service for Older People’s Adult Social Care Commissioning at Dorset Council. She is experienced in commissioning and developing services that support and enhance both intermediate care, as well as long-term community-based care.
Sarah has a strong track record in leading collaborative, system-wide approaches that improve patient outcomes, reduce discharge delays, and strengthen partnership working between councils, hospitals, and care providers.
She has played a key role in the development and implementation of Dorset’s Trusted Assessor Service model, contributing to safer, more timely, and effective transitions from hospital to home. Sarah brings both strategic insight and operational expertise to integrated discharge pathways and is committed to improving experiences and outcomes for people, alongside supporting sustainable care provision across the sector.