Half a million lost bed days are symptom of poor care integration, says disability charity

‘in many areas of Scotland, the integration of health and social care is happening in name only’

The loss of over half a million bed days in Scotland’s hospitals over the past year is a symptom of the failure to integrate health and social care, according to the disability charity Leonard Cheshire in Scotland.

Figures published by ISD Scotland show that a total of 542,204 bed days in 2019/20 were occupied by people delayed in their discharge from Scotland’s hospitals.

This represents a 4% rise in the number of bed days lost due to delayed discharges between 2018/19 and 2019/20. A daily average of 1,481 beds were occupied by people delayed in their discharge over the past year.

A delayed discharge occurs when a person, clinically ready for discharge, cannot leave hospital because the necessary care, support or accommodation required is not readily accessible or funding is not available, for example to purchase a care home place.

The main reasons for patients being delayed in their discharge in 2019/20 were awaiting completion of care arrangements (35%), awaiting place availability (23%) and awaiting community care assessment (17%).

ISD Scotland estimates that in 2017/18 alone, the cost of delayed discharges in NHS Scotland was £122 million – with an estimated average bed day cost of £248.

Reacting to the figures, Leonard Cheshire in Scotland’s Director Stuart Robertson said: “These figures demonstrate that in many areas of Scotland, the integration of health and social care is happening in name only.

“More than half a million bed days have been lost over the past year in Scotland’s hospitals due to delayed discharges and it’s time the Scottish Government finally tackle this issue. Over half of patients who experienced a delayed discharge have been impacted by a lack of care arrangements, availability and assessments.

“Delayed discharges are costing the Scottish Government over a hundred million pounds every year and are badly letting down disabled people and those receiving health and social care.

“Investment on the frontline is urgently required if we are to end delayed discharges and create a person-centred health and social care system that truly meets the needs of the Scottish people.”