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Warning of NHS winter beds 'struggle' NHS discharge delays hit record levels
(about 1 hour later)
The NHS in England will struggle this winter without more beds in care homes and other community settings to ease hospital pressures, researchers say. Hospitals in England are facing record levels of delays discharging patients as they miss many of their waiting time targets, official figures show.
The Nuffield Trust said that last winter a small proportion of patients - just 3.6% - had taken up more than a third of hospital beds. The October data from NHS England revealed there were more than 160,000 days lost to delays that month - up by a third since 2010.
The research group said help targeted at this group - most of them frail and elderly - could have a big impact. Delays are experienced as hospitals wait for care to be arranged in the community for vulnerable patients.
A spokesman for NHS England said moves were being made to improve the system. Experts warn the NHS must address the issue this winter.
The warning by the Nuffield Trust comes as NHS England prepares to publish performance data for October. The NHS England data showed:
The figures for September showed the NHS was missing key targets for cancer care, A&E waiting times, ambulance response times and diagnostic tests. The position on many of the measures is worse than it was this time last year, which ended up being the most difficult winter for a generation.
Hospitals in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are also struggling with many of these measures. Hospitals in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are also struggling with many of these measures - with the four-hour A&E target being missed across the board.
The NHS in winter: Want to know more?The NHS in winter: Want to know more?
Special report page: For the latest news, analysis and videoSpecial report page: For the latest news, analysis and video
Analysis: The lost beds problemAnalysis: The lost beds problem
Winter across the UK: A guide to how the NHS is copingWinter across the UK: A guide to how the NHS is coping
Video: Why hospitals are under so much pressureVideo: Why hospitals are under so much pressure
Video: How a hospital can grind to a haltVideo: How a hospital can grind to a halt
The Nuffield Trust analysis includes a review of how hospitals responded to last winter, which was the worst in England in terms of performance for a decade. The data has been published as the Nuffield Trust calls for the NHS to invest in extra care beds in care homes and other community settings.
It found hospitals had spent more than £250m of their emergency £700m pot on opening up extra beds to cope with demand. The think-tank carried out a review of how the health service performed last year.
But it said despite the investment, a small number of patients had been responsible for using up over a third of the bed capacity over the winter months. It found a small proportion of patients - just 3.6% - had taken up more than a third of hospital bed capacity.
Budget squeeze
This was because they spent long periods in hospital or were readmitted on a regular basis.This was because they spent long periods in hospital or were readmitted on a regular basis.
The analysis highlighted the squeeze on council budgets that had caused them to ration care services, which are seen as vital for keeping people out of hospital and making sure they can be discharged safely when they are admitted. The research group said help targeted at this group - most of them frail and elderly - could have a big impact.
The report said investing in intermediate care beds could provide a solution - allowing hospitals to discharge the frailest patients into a safe environment until they have recovered or until care packages could be arranged in their own home, or permanent places found in care homes.The report said investing in intermediate care beds could provide a solution - allowing hospitals to discharge the frailest patients into a safe environment until they have recovered or until care packages could be arranged in their own home, or permanent places found in care homes.
This has been done in Glasgow, where the local council and NHS have worked together over the past year to ensure care home beds have been freed up for hospital patients to move into temporarily.This has been done in Glasgow, where the local council and NHS have worked together over the past year to ensure care home beds have been freed up for hospital patients to move into temporarily.
Nuffield Trust chief executive Nigel Edwards predicted that this winter hospitals were going to find it "even more difficult to cope" unless the health service invested in intermediate care beds to get patients out of hospital.Nuffield Trust chief executive Nigel Edwards predicted that this winter hospitals were going to find it "even more difficult to cope" unless the health service invested in intermediate care beds to get patients out of hospital.
'Dignity, compassion''Dignity, compassion'
A spokesman for NHS England said: "It's important patients who are well enough to leave hospital can do so at the earliest opportunity and are treated with dignity and compassion."A spokesman for NHS England said: "It's important patients who are well enough to leave hospital can do so at the earliest opportunity and are treated with dignity and compassion."
Rob Webster, chief executive of the NHS Confederation, which represents hospitals, backed the findings.Rob Webster, chief executive of the NHS Confederation, which represents hospitals, backed the findings.
"Hospitals under pressure has become the status quo, and this winter is unlikely to be any different."Hospitals under pressure has become the status quo, and this winter is unlikely to be any different.
"The solution often clearly lies outside of the walls of our hospitals and into communities. ""The solution often clearly lies outside of the walls of our hospitals and into communities. "
Are you affected by the issues in this story? Share your experiences. You can email haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk.Are you affected by the issues in this story? Share your experiences. You can email haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk.
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