Warning over ‘bed blocking’ threat to patients

BED-BLOCKING has become such a problem in the Welsh NHS that it now poses a “major threat” to the health of patients, a new report has warned.

The Royal College of Emergency Medicine (RECM) has published a new report which looks at “exit block” in Welsh A&E departments and what can be done to tackle it.

Exit block, or bed-blocking, occurs when patients can not be moved from A&E on to a hospital ward because an appropriate bed is not available.

In the recent past it has led to scores of ambulances queuing outside A&E units, unable to offload patients.

The RCEM describes exit block as “a hospital-acquired illness” which causes patients harm and even death in some cases.

Its new report found that although NHS demand has increased, there are fewer beds available for patients admitted for urgent care.

One of the biggest concerns is the growing influx of pensioners needing emergency care, which has grown 10.3% over the past five years.

To help tackle exit block, the college has issued guidance on overcrowding and proposed to introduce and monitor a new “tariff system” which would give A&E staff an incentive to tackle its elimination.

The Welsh Government said it has made £60m available in its Intermediate Care Fund for 2016-2017 to ensure people receive joined-up health and social care services to help prevent unnecessary hospital admissions and delays in discharges.

A spokesman said: “We would be interested in considering these proposals from the RCEM.”