Hospital discharges. Creating bed room.

A review of hospital discharge arrangements in one health authority has reduced the number of lost bed days by two-thirds. Previously, some patients were waiting in acute beds for six months, and 10 per cent of all beds in the acute hospitals were occupied by patients ready for discharge. The number of patients waiting for discharge has fallen from 280 last summer to 60. The HA has used winter pressures money to top up social services funding for residential home places and has bought intermediate care places in homes.