Audit Scotland report reflects positively on work to reduce delayed discharges in East Ayrshire

The performance audit aimed to assess how well the challenge of reducing hospital delayed discharges is being addressed in Scotland. In order to better understand how local pressures and challenges are being dealt with, the report focused on three integration authorities: Dundee City, Highland, and East Ayrshire.

East Ayrshire was noted for its collaborative work with partners; the way it keeps care support open for longer after a person has been admitted to hospital; its digital advances, and the support it provides to people with dementia to set up a power of attorney.

One example of effective partnership working mentioned in the report is the collaboration between East Ayrshire Health and Social Care Partnership (HSCP) and East Ayrshire Carers Centre. The Carers Centre currently has two hospital discharge link workers based in University Hospitals Crosshouse and Ayr as well as links with East Ayrshire Community Hospital, where it works closely with discharge teams. The link workers provide advice and support to unpaid carers through the hospital discharge process and the support they might need to continue to provide care and support for their loved ones after discharge.

Another example of collaboration involves working with the third sector, and in East Ayrshire the British Red Cross is a key delivery partner offering assisted discharge, transports such as oxygen and stretcher transport, and non-regulated support services including practical and emotional support to people for up to 12 weeks after discharge.

A particularly important issue around delayed discharges involves care packages being kept open for an extended period after admission to hospital which preserves continuity of care and speeds up discharge. This is only possible as there are virtually no waiting lists for social care in the community for older people in East Ayrshire.

Proactive support is also being provided by East Ayrshire HSCP to help people with dementia set up a power of attorney. Working with Alzheimer’s Scotland, the HSCP supports individuals and their families to put a power of attorney in place during dementia post-diagnostic support. A range of teams across the HSCP also support power of attorney discussions at the earliest opportunity across the wider population.

Also across East Ayrshire, digital advances are increasingly being used to support people to live more independently at home. The Audit Scotland report recognised that digital connections form part of East Ayrshire HSCP’s longer-term strategic plan to use technology-enabled care for independent living.

Recent innovations include the East Ayrshire smart hub in Galston which showcases different smart home technologies to help people feel safer and more independent within their own homes.

It is important to recognise that sustaining this innovative and sector leading work in East Ayrshire will be extremely challenging given the financial landscape facing social care. The HSCP is currently projecting an overspend, with the Council recently asking for options to bring this back in line. 

Councillor Clare Maitland, Cabinet Spokesperson for Health and Social Care, said: “We are pleased to see that our ongoing efforts and commitment to reducing delayed discharges in East Ayrshire have been recognised in this Audit Scotland report. This reflects the strong partnership working between the Council, NHS Ayrshire and Arran, our third sector partners and the wider health and social care workforce.

“Our focus remains on achieving better outcomes for people by ensuring timely, safe and well-supported discharges, and this report shows that the work being done locally can make a real and positive difference.”

ends