Rise in delays in discharging patients

Delays in discharging patients from hospital have risen 23 per cent since June last year, NHS England has revealed.

On a daily basis, figures show that more than 6,000 patients, deemed well enough to leave hospital, are unable to do so because their local authority cannot provide care.

NHS England also revealed that 90.5 per cent of A&E patients were seen within four hours in June, an increase on the previous month but still calling short of the 95 per cent target.

Additionally, 69 per cent of ambulances reached the most serious callouts within eight minutes, below the 75 per cent target, while 91.5 per cent of patients waited less than 18 weeks for an operation, marginally below the target of 92 per cent.

An NHS England spokesman said: "It's important patients who are well enough to leave hospital can do so at the earliest opportunity, and in some parts of the country the system is working well.

"These figures underline the importance of joined-up care within the NHS and the dependence of hospitals on well-functioning social care services - particularly for older people living at home."

Stephen Dalton, chief executive of NHS Confederation, said: “These figures once again illustrate the strain the NHS is under to maintain timely access to high standards of care in the face of huge financial pressures.

"Our staff on the frontline are working flat out and deserve recognition for the dedication they display day in day out. But unless we break the cycle, performance results will continue to follow this downward trend.

“The recent and important relaxation of some targets, and of the penalties for missing them, will give many hospitals much-needed opportunity. We now need the government to incentivise greater coordination between local authorities and the NHS and to invest more in out-of-hospital health and care.”