Delayed discharge: Four in ten people waiting more than a month to leave hospital, says Age Scotland

Scotland’s national charity for older people, Age Scotland is calling for urgent action by the Scottish Government to get a grip on the “steadily worsening” delayed discharge figures which show that 40% of people are waiting more than a month to leave hospital despite being ready to do so.

New figures released today by the Information Services Division (ISD) of NHS Scotland reported that in June 2018, 1436 people were delayed leaving hospital, an increase of 10% on the same month the previous year. The total number of days spent in hospital by people whose discharge was delayed also increased by 8% to 42,375 compared with June 2017.

The main reason for the delays are people awaiting the completion of care arrangements which include waiting for social care assessments – such as what is required for their own home or the availability of a place in a care home.

Delayed discharges cost the NHS an average of £233 per day or £1631 per week. This compares to local authority payments of £253 per week for personal and nursing care. The weekly cost of a publicly funded care home place starts at £689.

The increase in days unnecessarily spent in hospital comparing June 2018 and June 2017 would have cost the taxpayer around £727,000.

Chief Executive of Age Scotland, Brian Sloan said:

“Around 4 in 10 people who are ready to leave hospital are waiting more than a month to do so. This is scandalous.

“Keeping people in hospital longer than necessary delays the start of their recovery, puts them at risk of infections, causes loss of mobility and can have a devastating effect on their mental health. It also exacerbates feelings of loneliness and social isolation which becomes harder to overcome once they’ve been discharged.

“We know of older people who see these figures and avoid visits to hospital at all costs for fear of being stuck in the system, unable to leave.

“The longer an older person stays in hospital, the harder it is for them to readjust once they leave which in turn makes their care needs far more pronounced.

“Every day our free helpline hears of older people facing delaying in accessing social care due to a lack of funding or resources. This problem isn’t going away any time soon so government and councils across Scotland must get a grip on the situation.

“These figures are steadily worsening and must serve as a wake-up call to the Scottish Government, if the bells aren’t already ringing.”