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'Bed-blocking' worsening say AMs 'Bed-blocking' worsening say AMs
(about 2 hours later)
Delayed discharges from hospitals, or 'bed-blocking', is getting worse, the Welsh assembly's audit committee says. Delayed discharges from hospitals, or "bed-blocking", is getting worse, according to Welsh assembly members.
More work has to be done to ensure patients do not stay in hospital longer than needed, according to the AMs. More work needs to be done to ensure patients do not stay in hospital longer than needed, says the audit committee.
They are calling on the assembly government to provide stronger leadership in tackling the problem. The AMs have called for stronger government leadership on the issue after figures showed a 2% rise in unnecessary days spent in hospital.
However, the assembly government said it will consider what further action is needed once an independent review is completed. The assembly government said it would consider what further action was needed after an independent review.
The latest figures on the number of unnecessary days spent in hospital have increased 2% between 2005-06 and 2006-07 from 262,595 to 268,491. The latest figures on the number of unnecessary days spent in hospital showed a rise from 262,595 to 268,491 between 2005-06 and 2006-07.
'Sensitivity' 'Co-operation'
According to the committee's report called Tackling delayed transfers of care across the whole system, there should be greater co-operation between health and social care bodies. We really want to focus on the patient at home and keeping people well at home David Melding AM
This would allow people to leave hospital beds and get care in their communities or at home. It says helping vulnerable older people, who mainly experience the delays, to maintain their independence is not given enough priority. According to the committee's report called Tackling Delayed Transfers of Care, there should be greater co-operation between health and social care bodies.
This would allow people to leave hospital beds and get care in their communities or at home.
The committee's chairman, the Conservative AM David Melding said: "The bottom line here is patients are not receiving the standard of care they should get.
"Lots of patients are becoming dependent on institutions because they are not being supported properly at home."
'Local sensitivity'
Mr Melding told BBC Radio Wales that more than a quarter of a million "bed days" are being lost in hospitals across Wales due to delays in moving patients out of wards, costing around £70m.
"These are very vulnerable people and we are concerned there is a culture that when people are vulnerable the default position is they go into acute care in hospital, and that's not really a good sign of the health of the system," added the AM.
"So we really want to focus on the patient at home and keeping people well at home as much as possible."
Liberal Democrat, Jenny Randerson AM said: "This report highlights the need for stronger, local partnerships and strengthening local working to avoid delayed transfers of care and bed blocking.Liberal Democrat, Jenny Randerson AM said: "This report highlights the need for stronger, local partnerships and strengthening local working to avoid delayed transfers of care and bed blocking.
"With the amalgamation of trusts and the likely amalgamation of LHBs (local health boards) we have the danger that bigger organisations running our health service will have less local sensitivity when we should be strengthening local partnerships and working," she added. She said with the merger of trusts and likely merger of LHBs (local health boards) there was a danger the larger health organisations would "have less local sensitivity when we should be strengthening local partnerships and working".
"This is a problem not only for delayed transfers of care but also raises concerns across a whole manner of health and social care issues."