Bed blocking in hospitals was at record high as epidemic struck
SCOTLAND’S hospitals were suffering a recordbreaking shortage of beds due to delayed discharges on the eve of the coronavirus pandemic.
Official figures show the number of beds occupied by patients who were well enough to leave were at their highest since records began in 2016. A total of 46,875 bed days were lost to delayed discharges in February.
An average of 1,616 beds were occupied each day by patients who were no longer sick, up 11 per cent compared with the average daily number in February 2019, and up 5% compared to January 2020.
On the census point of the last Thursday in February, 1,290 people were stuck in hospital having been delayed more than three days, despite being well enough to leave.
Health and social care reasons were blamed for 956 of the delays (74%), complex needs accounted for 302 delays (23%) and patient and family-related reasons lay behind 32 delays (2%).
There was better news on A&E attendances, with other figures showing a drop of almost 60% since the outbreak began, helping to relieve pressure on wards.
Attendances in 2020 were roughly the same as those in 2019 until the start of March.
For the week beginning March 8 this year, A&E attendances were 26,720, against 26,752 for the week beginning March 10 in 2019.
However since then the numbers have fallen sharply.
Attendances were 23,981 for the week beginning March 15, then 16,425 for the week beginning March 22, and a record low of 11,020 for the week of March 29.
The March 29 figure represents a 59.4% drop on the equivalent week in 2019.
The drop in visits saw an improvement in waiting times, with 92.2% of people seen within the four-hour A&E target last week. Only 64 patients spent more than eight hours in A&E, and only 10 over 12 hours.
Health Secretary Jeane Freeman thanked the public for listening to advice on staying at home and avoiding non-essential trips, and health and social care staff for their hard work.
Opposition parties said the bed blocking figures were deeply troubling.
Labour MSP Monica Lennon said: “Despite the Scottish Government promising to end delayed discharge, the latest figures show delayed discharge is at its highest-ever level. Delayed discharge is very distressing for patients and their families and puts the NHS under serious pressure.
“The coronavirus outbreak has prompted a colossal effort to free up beds, however, pressure has shifted to an already stretched social care service. It is vital that the Scottish Government gives carers the resources they need to work safely and meet the needs of the people they care for.”
Scottish Liberal Democrat MSP Alex Cole-hamilton added: “At this time of crisis, we know the Scottish Government is trying to move as many people as possible into community care settings. Sadly many are worried about their safety there as well. The Government must ensure health professionals working in care homes and community care have sufficient PPE as people are shifted out of hospital at an unprecedented rate.”
Ms Freeman said there has been a “significant effort” to reduce delayed discharges since the first confirmed coronavirus case on March 2.
She said: “Early indication for March is that we have seen a substantial reduction in the number of delays, down 800 so far on the end of the previous month, which is a 50% reduction.
“Our aim is to reduce this by 900 by the end of April. This is due to the significant effort from social work and social care staff, working with health partners and our health and social care partnerships, and I would like to thank them for their ongoing hard work.”
On the lower A&E attendances, she said: “I would like to thank members of the public for continuing to listen to advice and only going to A&E if illnesses are immediate or life threatening. This is helping to free-up vital resources to allow NHS staff to be redeployed to support the response to the coronavirus pandemic.
“I would also like to again pay tribute to Scotland’s health and social care staff for their continued hard work and dedication – you are providing an exceptional level of care during these extraordinary times and each and every one of you has my very grateful thanks.”