Matheson faces calls to quit as delayed discharges increase
The number of people delayed in hospital is on the increase, official figures show, as Scottish Labour has called on the Health Secretary to quit.
According to Public Health Scotland, 1,910 people were delayed in hospital at the census point in November, increasing from 1,815 the month before and 1,730 in April.
The total number of bed days lost to delayed discharge also increased, from 51,327 in April to 56,811 in November.
The vast majority (41,060) of the days lost were due to issues relating to social care or the patient's family.
Scottish Labour deputy leader Jackie Baillie reiterated her calls for Health Secretary Michael Matheson
to quit, with health and social care "at breaking point".
"Delayed discharge continues to spiral out of control, piling pressure on hospitals and over-stretched A&ES," she said.
"Michael Matheson has proved time and time again that he is not up to the job – not only is he embroiled in scandal, but he has failed miserably to tackle the crisis unfolding in our NHS. "We need a new Health Secretary and an end to the SNP'S long record of dangerous failure."
Scottish Lib Dem leader Alex Cole-hamilton hit out at the Scottish Government over the figures, saying: "As we begin another new year the SNP'S neglect and mismanagement of health and social care is still leaving far too many people stuck in hospital.
"People are in limbo.
"They should never have to wait weeks or months on a care home place or help to return home. There are gaps everywhere and the situation is as bad as ever.
"Yet this government still expects patients and staff to wait years for the wrong solution in the form of a ministerial takeover of social care."
While Scottish Tory health spokesman Dr Sandesh Gulhane said the Government has "miserably failed" to deal with the problem, adding: "Such severe levels of delayed discharge has a significant impact on our NHS – which is already facing a huge backlog of delayed operations – and especially on A&E, which is already completely overstretched.
"The discredited and distracted SNP health secretary Michael Matheson must get a grip on these soaring figures before even more lives are put in danger due to delays and a lack of available hospital beds."