The Assessment Discharge and Withdrawal (ADW) specification currently covers the following information flow:

Transfers of care from hospital to social services for patients with care and support needs

The requirements for this information flow are defined in the regulations under the Care Act 2014. The Act describes a series of notices that must be sent from hospitals to adult social services to support the discharge of hospital patients who have care and support needs.

The notices are defined as:

Assessment notice

This is used by the hospital to inform social services that an assessment of the patient’s care and support needs is required. Where known, it includes an expected discharge date.

Discharge notice

Following the issue of an assessment notice, a discharge notice is sent by the hospital to social services to confirm the patient’s proposed discharge date.

Withdrawal notice

This is used to withdraw a previously issued assessment notice and/or a discharge notice. A withdrawal notice may be required to be issued for a number of reasons, for example because the patient’s medical condition has changed or the patient is eligible for NHS Continuing Health Care.