Bed-blocking in Scottish hospitals continues to fall

Bed-blocking in Scottish hospitals remains on a downward trend, with seven per cent fewer delayed discharges than last year.

Bed-blocking in Scottish hospitals appears to be on a downward trend. (Photo by Christopher Furlong/Getty Images)

Patients spent 43,980 days in hospital due to delays in discharge in April, according to NHS Scotland’s Information Services Division (ISD Scotland)

The figure is a five per cent reduction on the previous month and a seven per cent decrease on the same period last year.

A more up-to-date snapshot for May, assessed by a smaller monthly census, found a one per cent increase on the previous month’s census to 1,123 patients.

Some 335 of these delays (30 per cent) were for patients with specific complex care needs.

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A total of 271 (34 per cent) were awaiting availability in a care home, 205 (26 per cent) were awaiting support to live at home and 163 (21 per cent) were awaiting a social care assessment.

A delayed discharge is a hospital patient that is clinically ready for discharge from inpatient hospital care but continues to occupy a hospital bed beyond the ready for discharge date.

ISD Scotland said timely discharge from hospital is an important indicator of quality for effective, integrated and safe care.

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