More patients delayed leaving hospital while ready for discharge in Scotland

By The Press Association8th November 2016News ScotlandAdult Care, Community Care, Hospitals, News Scotland, NHS, Social Care

More people are facing waits in Scottish hospitals after being declared fit to go home, new figures have revealed.

A total of 1,524 patients were affected by delayed discharge in hospitals across the country in September, up from 1,472 the previous month.

Delayed discharge – also known as bed blocking – happens when patients are clinically ready to leave hospital but are waiting for care and accommodation arrangements to be put in place.

But the total number of days patients spent in hospital due to delayed discharge has fallen, from 45,551 in August to 45,074 in September.

Figures from ISD Scotland published on Tuesday show 70% of people who had their discharge delayed in September were aged 75 and older.

Opposition politicians have criticised the Scottish Government’s record on delayed discharge, but Health Secretary Shona Robison has said ministers are “determined” to tackle the problem.

Scottish Labour health spokesman Anas Sarwar said: “Shona Robison’s delayed discharge record is nothing short of a scandal.

“The SNP promised to eradicate delayed discharge out of our NHS completely, but instead more than 1,500 patients were trapped in hospitals when they just want to go home.

“This adds more pressure to our hospitals and our NHS staff who are overworked and undervalued by the SNP Government. But rather than give social care the funding it needs to deliver for patients, the SNP has hammered the budgets of councils which provide social care, with more than £500 million cut in the last year.”

Alison Johnstone, the Scottish Greens’ health spokeswoman, said the rise in people “stuck in hospital when they should be in a more appropriate setting is deeply concerning” and also called for more investment in social care.

Ms Robison said: “We’re determined to tackle delayed discharge and that’s why we’re investing £30 million a year, over three years, to accelerate improvements. This money has been used to open intermediate care beds, assess people in more appropriate settings and to focus on caring for people at home by investing in home care, new technology and reablement.

“While delayed discharge will fluctuate from month to month, and usually increase around this time of year, levels of delayed discharge remain consistently below that of last year and we are making overall progress in reducing the amount of time people are delayed in hospital.”

She added that the Government has been in contact with the three health and social care partnerships which account for nearly a third of all standard delays of more than three days to ensure progress is made before winter.

Liberal Democrat health spokesman Alex Cole-Hamilton said: “More than 200 patients were stuck in hospital for over six weeks after they were ready to leave due to problems arranging the health and social care they need in the community. I know from my constituents’ experiences that some patients are waiting a great deal longer.

“All parties supported the bringing together of NHS and local council care services but these figures raise questions about the difference they are making at this early stage.”