Patients stuck in bed block crisis
Almost 150 holed up with nowhere to go
Ayrshire’s bed blocking crisis has been unmasked as one of the worst in Scotland.
New figures reveal almost 150 patients were stuck in our wards with nowhere to go this September.
More than a third had no care package in place, while 41 had not even been assessed.
The latest figures for NHS Ayrshire and Arran, which take in September, showed the most delays for a single month since records began.
Ayr MSP John Scott labelled the numbers a “serious problem”.
Across Scotland, a total of 1529 patients were deemed medically fit to return home in September – but were unable to do so.
And 28 have been waiting more than a year in hospital beds.
Delayed discharge in Ayrshire and Arran has risen from 95 patients in April to 141 at the last count in September.
Mr Scott said: “These figures show it is only getting worse locally.
“Delayed discharge increases pressure on hospitals, with less beds available, and it means patients are stuck in hospital because they have nowhere else to go.
“It’s time a proper grip was got on this problem in the interests of patients, their families and the health and social care staff whose jobs are made harder by these delays.”
Professor Hazel Borland, Nurse Director at NHS Ayrshire and Arran, said: “Working with the Health and Social Care Partnerships we are enhancing services to support transfers of care.
“Earlier this year Ayrshire and Arran NHS Board agreed a £ 2.5 million investment in new Intermediate Care and Rehabilitation Services.
“These services start on Monday. “This funding, alongside more than £ 7 million being invested to support General Practice in Ayrshire and Arran over the next two years, will build capacity in community services through recruitment of additional staff including nurses, physiotherapists and pharmacists.”
She added: “The role of social care in both care at home and care home placement is a key element in facilitating discharge.
“The Partnerships have recently taken steps to increase the social work input directly to our hospitals.”
The role of social care is both care at home and abroad