Thousands of hospital bed days are being lost at NHS Tayside hospitals every month due to delays in discharging patients — despite £100 million of investment
by the Scottish Government.
An average of 3,348 days have been lost each month of this year, despite the investment being dished out to tackle the issue between last January and the end of 2017.
And, over the course of the last three-and-a-half years of available data, a total of 140,195 days have been lost to due to delayed discharge.
Otherwise known as bed blocking, the problem arises when a hospital inpatient, who has been judged by a consultant or GP as clinically ready to leave, continues to occupy the bed beyond the ready for discharge date.
Bed blocking usually occurs when the necessary care, support or accommodation for the patient is not accessible or funding is not available.
It can mean beds for patients who actually need them cannot be accessed.
And figures show that the issue has been consistent over the last three-and-a-half years.
The average number of bed days lost at NHS Tayside each month was 3,305 in 2012/13, 3,456 in 2013/14, 3,247 in 2014/15 and 3,339 between April and September.
Scottish Conservatives health spokesman Jackson Carlaw said: “It defies belief that so many bed days could be lost in this way.
“We need to see a meaningful plan not just in Tayside, but right across Scotland, to address bed blocking once and for all.”
Since Secretary for Health and Wellbeing Shona Robison announced the £100m investment in the system in January, NHS Tayside has received £2.4m.
In its 2015/16 winter plan, the health board announced that “Perth & Kinross, Angus and Dundee are building sustainable solutions that seek to reduce unscheduled care and demand pressures as well as facilitate immediate discharge.
“The intention will be to move towards normalisation of discharge and working towards a standard of all patients being discharged back home when medically fit and within 72 hours.”
NHS Tayside also has a target of achieving the national standard of 40% of discharges taking place in the morning and to increase average discharges at the weekend by 25%.