Patients are stuck due to shortage of ICU beds

Auditors have warned increasing evidence shows parts of Scotland lack adequatenumbersofintensive care beds.

An audit of more than 46,000 patients admitted to specialist wards for the most severely ill or injured last year found the quality of critical care is high, but bed shortages are causing problems.

The intensive care unit (ICU) at Ninewells Hospital in Dundee had the highest percentage of patients discharged early at 7 per cent – more than three times the Scottish average, with most being sent to another ward in the hospital.

The report states: “This figure suggests that the number of physical ICU beds available at Ninewells Hospital is inadequate to meet the demands of the service.

“At times of peak occupancy, ICU bed demand appears to exceed the supply and patients were discharged early to a lower level of care.”

A quarter of patients in intensive care units audited across Scotland had their discharge delayed by more than four hours and for high dependency units this was 22 per cent.

Forth Valley Royal Hospital intensive care unit had the worst record, with more than half of discharges (52 per cent) delayed for more than four hours. The main reason was a lack of beds elsewhere.

Nearly two thirds (60 per cent) of patients in the surgical level one unit at the Western General Hospital faced similar waits.