My father, a 92-year-old man living alone, was discharged from the hospital at 7:30pm on a Saturday evening. He returned to an empty home with no one to care for him. This is not an isolated incident but a common occurrence affecting many elderly and vulnerable patients in the UK.

The National Health Service (NHS) routinely discharges elderly patients late in the day, often after 4pm. This practice puts our most vulnerable citizens at risk as they are sent back to homes where there may be no one available or awake to assist them.

According to Age UK, there are approximately 3.8 million elderly people living alone in the United Kingdom - many of whom have health conditions that require regular care and assistance. The current discharge policy of NHS does not take into account these realities and it is time for this practice to change.

We call upon the NHS and relevant health authorities to implement a policy that prevents hospitals from discharging elderly and vulnerable patients after 4pm unless there is confirmed adequate support waiting for them at their place of residence.

Please sign this petition if you believe our elders deserve better treatment from our healthcare system.