OVER 1,000 PATIENTS DIE WAITING TO LEAVE HOSPITAL

MORE than a thousand patients have died while waiting to leave hospital, despite the Scottish Government promising to ban delays by the end of 2015.

Figures obtained from health boards by Scottish Labour show at least 1,152 deaths since March 2015.

Scottish Labour health spokesman Anas Sarwar said: ‘In 2015, the SNP promised to scrap delayed discharge in our hospitals. Instead, thousands of patients have died in hospital waiting to go home.’

But Health Secretary Shona Robison said: ‘We have seen a significant 11 per cent fall in the overall number of people delayed in the last month – but we want to do more. Boards are working hard to ensure no patient has to spend unnecessary extra time in hospital.’