Staff should work closely with patients all the time, not just at Christmas

Each month, NHS England releases statistics on the total delayed days during the month for all patients delayed throughout the month.

The latest figures, published today, show a decrease in delayed hospital discharge between November and December 2014, but an overall increase in delayed discharge over the past year.

In response to these statistics, Our Chair, Anna Bradley, said:

“The fall in delayed hospital discharges over the festive period is in some ways encouraging, because it shows that extra resources and additional focus on discharge planning can make a real difference.

“But even with this improvement, the number of people stuck in hospital whilst deemed fit to leave was higher than at any point in 2013.

“This provides further evidence of a system that is under growing pressure and struggling to cope. We want to see staff working more closely with patients all the time, not just at Christmas, to plan how and when they are going to leave hospital from the moment they arrive.

“Ensuring all patients are discharged safely and in a timely manner all year round would free up more bed days, save money and, most importantly, get people home sooner – which is where we all want to be.”