NHS must reduce hospital discharge delays, NAO warns

The National Audit Office (NAO) has said that the NHS in England must get a better grip on the delays patients face when being released from hospital, in order to reduce unnecessary harm and money.

The report estimated that NHS discharge delays were costing the NHS up to £820 million per year and warned that delays particularly put older patients at risk because they lost mobility during extended stays.

The news comes after delays hit record levels this winter as a result of a lack of support available in the community. The research suggested that for every day kept in hospital, an elderly patient can lose five per cent of their muscle strength, as well as increasing their risk of infection.

Figures show the number of delays has risen by a third in the past two years to 1.15 million days. The delays cost hospitals £820 million, whereas care in the community for such patients would have cost just £180 million.

However, the NAO has said the data is likely to be an underestimate, as delays were only measured from the point where patients were deemed ready for discharge, which may have also experienced delays in being recorded.

Amyas Morse, head of NAO, said: "There are currently far too many older people in hospitals who do not need to be there. Without radical action, this problem will worsen and add further strain to the financial sustainability of the NHS and local government."
A spokesman for the Department of Health maintained that steps were being made to tackle the issues. He added: “Elderly patients should never be stuck in hospital unnecessarily.”