Professor Derek Bell, President of the College, has commented on the most recent delayed discharge ISD statistics, which indicate a 4% rise in the number of bed days being used by delayed discharge patients (In Scotland) between November 2017 and November 2018.
Commenting, Professor Bell said:
“Although the average total number of patients delayed across Scotland remains fairly static taking into account seasonal changes, the number of available staffed beds being used may be more relevant to the discussion regarding pressure on front line services, as this will have most impact on acute hospitals.
“In November 2018, it was revealed that there were 429 fewer hospital beds in Scotland across 2017-18. We also note that three-quarters of delayed discharges were for health and social care reasons in November 2018, the date for which we have most recent figures.
“As Integration Joint Boards mature, this is an area where they should be showing their impact. For the system to cope in future years, it is crucial that the integration of health and social care is effective.
"However, any moves to shift the balance of care from hospitals to primary and community care should not harm quality of care.”
1.For a summary of the latest delayed discharge statistics:https://www.isdscotland.org/Health-Topics/Health-and-Social-Community-Ca...
