Massive increase in delayed discharges from hospital under the Tories.

There has been a dramatic increase in the number of delayed discharges from hospitals in a further sign that the NHS is going backwards under the Tories.

In Croydon the number of wasted bed days has increased by a staggering 223%.

In the past month, delayed discharges meant that 210 bed days were wasted, compared to 65 in August 2010 as many elderly people were left stuck in hospital.

Nationally, the number of delayed days per month has almost doubled under this Government – from 55,332 in August 2010 to 103,776 in January 2015.

In the past month alone, the number of delayed days has increased by 14 per cent. Over the past year there have been more than a million delayed days, costing almost £287 million – enough to pay for 6,875 nurses or a year of home visits for more than 41,000 older and disabled people

Last month almost 3,600 patients were delayed in being discharged from hospitals, costing the NHS more than £28.5 million

Steve Reed OBE MP said:

“This Government’s plan for the NHS is failing. These terrible figures show the scale of the care crisis that is affecting so many unwell and elderly people in Croydon.

“Increasing numbers of older people in our community are ending up in hospital rather than receiving the care they need in their own home.

“Labour will join up health and social care to help more elderly people in Croydon stay healthy and living independently in their own homes.”

Liz Kendall MP, Labour’s Shadow Care and Older People’s Minister, said:

“Under the Tories thousands of frail, elderly people are reaching crisis point, ending up in A&E and getting stuck in hospital. This could be avoided if they had the right care and support in the community or at home. Instead, this Government has slashed social care, which is bad for elderly people and their families, and costs the taxpayer far more.

“Delayed discharges cost £287 million in the last year alone – money which could have paid for a year of home visits for more than 41,000 elderly people, or 6,875 nurses.

“Labour has a better plan. We will join up health and social care to help people stay living healthily in their own home and get the best value for taxpayers’ money.”