This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007
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Hospital delayed discharge statistics
30/11/2005
The latest quarterly set of figures for the number of people delayed in hospitals waiting for an appropriate care setting shows a rise from 1,465 patients in July 2005 to 1,576 patients in October 2005 (7.6 per cent increase).
However when the figures are compared on a yearly basis, they show the Executive is making progress in tackling delayed discharge with a 12.3 per cent decrease.
Despite real progress since 2002, latest figures show local authorities and NHS Boards need to work together to tackle the problem of delayed discharge said Deputy Health Minister, Lewis Macdonald. He said:
"We have made real progress from year to year in tackling the number of people who are inappropriately delayed in hospital while waiting for a more appropriate care setting.
"Since our Delayed Discharge Action Plan was launched in 2002, the number of patients delayed for more than six weeks has decreased by almost 60 per cent and people waiting for a year or longer has dropped by over 90 per cent.
"However today's quarterly figures show a disappointing rise in the number of patients waiting in hospital for an appropriate care setting since July this year. I want this to be tackled on all fronts.
"Too many of our older people are still waiting too long in hospital until more appropriate care for them can be found and this is unacceptable. I am calling on local authorities and NHS boards to work together with a greater effort to tackle this problem.
"We are investing £30 million every year to tackle delayed discharge and I want immediate action.
"We must ensure our April 2006 targets can be met. Challenging targets have been set for a very good reason as patients should not have to wait in hospital once their treatment is completed. This is no good for the patient or for the NHS as a whole."
A definition of 'ready for discharge' is an in-patient whose move onto the next stage of care is delayed for non-clinical reasons.
Around 670,000 in-patients are discharged each year from hospital in Scotland. On the October 2005 census date, 1,576 patients were ready for discharge in Scotland but were unable to do so for a variety of reasons.
The statistics released today show:
- A total of 1,576 patients were ready for discharge in Scotland in October 2005 compared to 1,465 in July 2005 and 1,798 in October 2004 (a 12.3 per cent decrease)
- In October 2005, 875 patients were waiting in a hospital for more than six weeks for a care setting compared to 753 patients in July 2005 and 1,018 patients in October 2004 (14 per cent drop)
- The number of patients delayed for one year or more has increased from 15 in July 2005 to 21 in October 2005 but has decreased by 62.5 per cent (from 56 patients) since October 2004
There is an overall long term increase in activity relating to older people in the health service. Demographic trends show that the number of older people in Scotland will continue to rise over the next 20 years.
The 2004 Spending Review continued the Executive's investment of £30 million a year to help local authorities and NHS Boards tackle delayed discharge until 2007 - 08. Also a Joint Improvement Team has been established to work closely with local partnerships to deliver sustainable improvements and better outcomes for service users.
National targets have been set for April 2006 to achieve a 20 per cent reduction in all patients ready for discharge and those waiting more than six weeks, based on a starting point of the April 2005 census.