Government urged to act on bed blocking rise

THE Scottish Government has been urged to “get a grip” on bed blocking after new figures showed more patients were kept in hospital when they were medically well enough to leave.

A census across Scotland’s hospitals carried out in June revealed 1,159 patients whose discharge had been delayed - including 175 who had been waiting six weeks or more.

Across the National Health Service in May, patients spent a total of 44,305 days in hospital when they were medically well enough to leave, a rise from 43,980 the previous month.

Health Secretary Shona Robison said that the latest figures showed a 6% fall in the number of bed days lost compared to the same month last year, and a drop of 14% compared to two years ago

Opposition par ties highlighted the increase in bed blocking - which happens when patients are clinically ready to leave hospital but are waiting for the necessary care, support and accommodation arrangements to be put in place.

In April 2015, the Scottish Government introduced the target that nobody should have to wait more than two weeks to be discharged.

The total of 1,159 delayed discharges i n June’s research is up by 3% from May’s census and includes 338 patients with specific, complex care needs.

Of the remaining 821 patients who were held up, 262 (32%) were waiting for a place in a care home and 204 (25%) were waiting for arrangements to be made so they could be cared for in their own home.

A further 181 (22%) were waiting for a posthospital social care assessment to be completed.