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Hundreds of patients die while waiting to go home from hospital, figures show | Hundreds of patients die while waiting to go home from hospital, figures show |
(35 minutes later) | |
More than 1,100 patients have died while waiting to be discharged from hospital since March 2015, new figures show. | More than 1,100 patients have died while waiting to be discharged from hospital since March 2015, new figures show. |
Research by Scottish Labour using freedom of information laws revealed that at least 1,152 patients died while waiting to go home between then and November 2017. | Research by Scottish Labour using freedom of information laws revealed that at least 1,152 patients died while waiting to go home between then and November 2017. |
The final figure may be higher as NHS Grampian did not respond to the party’s request for information. | |
Delayed discharge occurs when patients are clinically ready to leave hospital but are waiting for the necessary care and accommodation arrangements to be put in place. | Delayed discharge occurs when patients are clinically ready to leave hospital but are waiting for the necessary care and accommodation arrangements to be put in place. |
Scottish Labour pointed out that in February 2015 Health Secretary Shona Robison pledged to eliminate delayed discharge in Scotland‘s NHS. | |
The party’s health spokesman Anas Sarwar said: “In 2015 the SNP promised to scrap delayed discharge in our hospitals. Instead, thousands of patients have died in hospital waiting to go home. | |
“Our NHS staff are undervalued and overstretched, and they should be supported by a proper system to help patients out of hospital as soon as they are fit to leave. | |
“Further cuts to local councils which provide social care will only add to this, and it shows the complete mismanagement of our health and care services under the SNP. | |
“Fixing delayed discharge will begin to relieve the pressure on our hospitals and NHS staff, allowing for better patient care for everyone – but we can only do that if we invest properly in local services. | |
“That means doing more than tinkering around the edges on tax, it means real and radical change.” | |
Ms Robison responded: “Our policy is clear – when a patient is assessed as requiring care and support on discharge from hospital we expect local health and social care partnerships to ensure appropriate support is provided. | |
“That is why we have invested almost half a billion pounds of additional funds into social care and integration this year, while the health revenue budget will increase by almost £2 billion by 2021. | |
“Our health and social care delivery plan includes our objective to double palliative and end-of-life provision of care in communities by 2021, so that fewer people die in a hospital setting, as well as reducing the overall bed-day usage. | |
“We have seen a significant 11% fall in the overall number of people delayed in the last month, and a 10% decrease in the number of extra days spent in hospital, compared to October 2016 – but we want to do more. | |
“Boards are working hard to see that continue and ensure no patient has to spend unnecessary, extra time in hospital.” | |
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