Bed blocking rises by 6 per cent across hospitals

The number of people “trapped” in Scottish hospitals has risen by 6 per cent in the last month as the ageing population places increasing pressure on care homes.

There were 1,258 patients delayed from being discharged in September across Scotland, taking up more than 48,500 bed days that month. Of those, 549 patients were delayed for more than two weeks.

NHS statisticians said 40 per cent of the patients were waiting to be admitted to a care home. Health secretary Shona Robison said tackling the scourge of bed blocking was a “key priority” for the Scottish Government.

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She added: “However, it is disappointing to see delayed discharge numbers increasing from the previous month.

“Local authorities and NHS boards must do more to ensure the right care is available for people in the community when they are fit to be discharged from hospital.”