STEPH BRAWN
MSP Neil blasts ‘inefficient’ system
The number of days patients have been stranded in hospitals due to delayed discharges
Health statistics have shown Renfrewshire patients who were cleared to leave the ward, but couldn’t be transferred back home or into care, spent almost 700 days in NHS beds in November.
The previous November, 455 ‘bed days’ were recorded.
Paisley politician Neil Bibby, pictured, yesterday demanded action, insisting the new figures prove the system isn’t working.
The West of Scotland MSP said:
“Nobody should be in hospital any longer than they need to be.
“The priority for health and social care services has to be to support people in returning to their homes or a community setting as soon as it is safe to do so.
“That is where people can properly recuperate or rehabilitate after surgery.
“Delayed discharges are not only inefficient for the health service, they deny patients a timely, safe and dignified return to their own homes.
“The fact the level of delayed discharges for people from Renfrewshire is going up so dramatically when ministers promised it would come down is a sign the system isn’t working and that government isn’t on top of the problem.
“Too many workers in both the NHS and in social care services are overstretched and underresourced.
“Underinvestment has to be addressed and that is why Labour is insisting on proper workforce planning so the NHS has the skills and the staff it needs.
“Time and again, the SNP Government has promised to tackle delayed discharges and time and again those promises have been broken.
“It’s time for real leadership to make health and social care services work better together.”
There has been some improvement for people from Renfrewshire recent months.
The number of bed days occupied by delayed discharges went from 776 in September to 686 in November – a decrease of almost 12 per cent.
NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde bosses insisted they are working with Renfrewshire Council to put support packages in place to allow more patients to leave hospital as soon as they are ready.
A health board spokesman said: “We are fully committed to providing high- quality personcentred care for all of our patients and are sorry that some patients remain in hospital when they are ready for discharge.
“We are fully committed to ensuring patients are discharged to the most appropriate setting for their care needs as timeously as possible, but there are a variety of reasons that a patient can be delayed.
“For many patients, there are complexities involved, which makes it difficult to expedite their discharge.
“In many instances, it is to ensure the right support package is in place at home or the right care environment is available for them and we work with our local authority partners to put the right package in place as quickly as possible.
“At all times, our priority is to provide patients with the highest standards of care and support.”