Forum Brief: Bed blocking

More than 4000 elderly people remain in NHS hospitals on any day, even though they are fit to leave, because they cannot get support at home, according to a new report from the National Audit Office.

Forum Response: Age Concern

Gordon Lishman, director general of Age Concern England, said: "Many older people continue to be stuck in hospital when they are well enough to leave because care is simply not available to them: either to help them in their own homes, or places in care homes.

"As the Audit Office report highlights, this can significantly affect a patient's physical and mental well-being.

"The hospital discharge procedure must ensure that the person is placed at the centre of the process, given a choice of care most suitable for them and a real say in those decisions affecting them.

"The government's Community Care Bill, currently in the Lords, proposes to fine local authorities for delayed discharge of patients. This will not solve the problem, and could make it worse if the right care is not available."

Forum Response: Help the Aged

Jenny Stiles, deputy head of policy at Help the Aged, said: "If anyone other than the government was still thinking of the Community Care (Delayed Discharge) Bill as a strategic, sensible way forward, this report from the NAO must surely destroy that illusion.

"The government's proposal of fining local authorities is, at best, a one dimensional approach and at worst risks undermining the collaborative efforts between health and social services professionals which have led to a significant reduction in delayed discharges over the last year.

"Another deeply worrying aspect of the report is that, whereas the professionals felt they were involving the patients in discharge planning, the patients themselves frequently felt uninformed and uninvolved.

"Help the Aged is calling for the Bill currently passing through parliament to be amended to be far clearer about patient's rights in respect of discharge and the introduction of an appeals process for those who think that the plans for their discharge do not offer them a safe way forward."

Forum Response: Counsel and Care

Martin Green, chief executive of Counsel and Care, told ePolitix.com: "The government must understand that they have to put both resources and planning into community and support services if they are going to improve acute care."

Forum Response: The Stroke Association

Eoin Redahan, director of public relations at The Stroke Association, told ePolitix.com: "We are aware that individuals are forced to remain in hospitals for longer periods than necessary, resulting in the blocking of beds.

"Stroke patients occupy 20 per cent of acute hospital beds and 25 per cent of long term beds. Yet, if rehabilitation services for stroke patients were improved, patients would be able to leave hospital sooner, thus freeing up beds."

Forum Response: Local Government Association

Councillor Alison King, social affairs and health spokesperson at the LGA, said: "The government's proposals to tackle delays in discharging older people from hospital by fining local councils will not end the misery of inappropriate hospital stays. Indeed it will put additional strain on social services budgets. The Government's thinking on this issue is seriously flawed.

"Councils, despite facing serious under funding year on year, a cut in care and nursing home capacity in the private sector, and a crisis in staff recruitment and retention, have made good progress in working with health bodies to tackle this problem. We believe that the whole system approach to providing older people with appropriate care in the appropriate setting is the way forward."