Report highlights positive trend for patient release from hospital
Today Public Health Scotland (PHS) has published a summary of delayed discharge information across NHS Scotland for 2019/20, up to March 2020. Details include the number of bed days occupied by people delayed in their discharge from hospital and the average number of delays across monthly census points. The data relate to people aged 18 years and over.
Timely discharge from hospital is an important indicator of quality and is a marker for person-centred, effective, integrated and harm-free care. A delayed discharge occurs when a hospital patient, who is clinically ready for discharge from inpatient hospital care, continues to occupy a hospital bed beyond the date they are ready for discharge.
Eddie Fraser, Director of East Ayrshire Health and Social Care Partnership welcomed the findings and explains the East Ayrshire position:
“Newly published national statistics show continued progress in East Ayrshire in ensuring that our residents get care and support in the best place for their needs. These ‘delayed discharge’ figures illustrate a continued trend to reduce the number of bed days East Ayrshire residents spend in hospital when they have been assessed as clinically fit to be discharged to another setting.
“The total number of bed days occupied fell to 3,701 for 2019/20 and this is down from 5,901 in 2016/17. East Ayrshire has also maintained its position among the best performing partnership areas in Scotland. When bed days are measured as a rate per 1,000 people over 75 years of age, East Ayrshire is 3rd in Scotland with a rate of 240 compared with the national rate of 774 per 1,000 population”.
Councillor Iain Linton, Cabinet Member for Wellbeing also welcomed progress in this area. He said:
“East Ayrshire has a long-term commitment to providing safe high quality care and support at home, or as close as possible. This commitment is based on what is important to our residents and supporting positive outcomes. These statistics mirror the reality in focusing on personal outcomes for people.
“The continuing progress illustrated in this publication is most encouraging and welcome, it recognises the excellent ongoing commitment of our workforce in achieving these results, which is all the more important in the current coronavirus pandemic.”.