Unnecessary delay in discharging older patients (those aged 65 and over) from hospital is a known and long-standing issue. For older people in particular, longer stays in hospital can lead to worse health outcomes and can increase their long-term care needs as they can quickly lose mobility and the ability to do everyday tasks such as bathing and dressing. Keeping older people in hospital longer than necessary is also an additional and avoidable pressure on an already pressurised health and social care system.

Commenting on the report, Discharging older patients from hospital, from the National Audit Office, Saffron Cordery, director of policy and strategy at NHS Providers, said:

“Today’s report is clear acknowledgement that without urgent action, the problem regarding delayed transfers of care will only worsen.

“Rising demand from an ageing population adds further strain to the financial sustainability of the NHS and local government, emphasising again the extreme pressure on health and social care. The publication also helpfully highlights that the true scale and impact of delayed transfers of care on services and, more importantly, on patients is not always apparent from data available to us.

As it is a systemic rather than individual problem, we need to take action both locally and nationally to improve flow

“It is widely recognised that for much of the time, older people are not in hospital for any clinical benefit, but due to delays in arranging relevant social care. In our report, Right place right time commission, we captured evidence and good practice about transfers of care across all settings involving our members. It showed that, with strong integration of services, it’s possible to stop the revolving doors whereby older people come into hospital because it’s the only place where the support they need is immediately available, and help them to get into the appropriate care setting and back to their own homes where possible. The report also gives evidence that delays in the discharge of mental health patients are also a key challenge as they may have to remain as an in-patient when there is not suitable housing or community support package in place."

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