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Record numbers of 'fit' patients stuck in hospital spark fears for winter pressure on NHS Record numbers of 'fit' patients stuck in hospital spark fears for NHS winter crisis
(about 2 hours later)
Record numbers of patients are getting stuck in hospital in England despite being fit to leave, raising new fears that the NHS will struggle to cope with this year’s winter pressures and could run out of beds.Record numbers of patients are getting stuck in hospital in England despite being fit to leave, raising new fears that the NHS will struggle to cope with this year’s winter pressures and could run out of beds.
In all, 160,094 bed days were taken up in hospitals in England during October by patients who were unable to be discharged safely, mainly because local social care was unavailable to support them.In all, 160,094 bed days were taken up in hospitals in England during October by patients who were unable to be discharged safely, mainly because local social care was unavailable to support them.
That is the highest number since records began in August 2010 and represents a 41% rise on the 113,246 lost bed days seen in October 2010. That is the highest number since records began in August 2010 and represents a 41% rise on the 113,246 lost bed days in October 2010.
It is also a sharp rise – up 12% – on the 142,927 days lost during the same month just a year earlier and 12,356 more than the 147,738 seen in September 2015.It is also a sharp rise – up 12% – on the 142,927 days lost during the same month just a year earlier and 12,356 more than the 147,738 seen in September 2015.
The latest batch of performance data published by NHS England also showed that the service missed a series of key waiting times covering A&E care, urgent cancer treatment and ambulance response times during October.The latest batch of performance data published by NHS England also showed that the service missed a series of key waiting times covering A&E care, urgent cancer treatment and ambulance response times during October.
Nigel Edwards, chief executive of the Nuffield Trust health thinktank, said it was “extremely worrying” that what NHS managers called delayed transfers of care patients had reached an all-time high.Nigel Edwards, chief executive of the Nuffield Trust health thinktank, said it was “extremely worrying” that what NHS managers called delayed transfers of care patients had reached an all-time high.
“These bald statistics represent many thousands of patients, often frail and elderly, who have finished their medical treatment but can’t leave hospital because there isn’t enough support for them to go back to their own homes, or even to care homes,” added Edwards.“These bald statistics represent many thousands of patients, often frail and elderly, who have finished their medical treatment but can’t leave hospital because there isn’t enough support for them to go back to their own homes, or even to care homes,” added Edwards.
“That’s not surprising when £1.7bn has been cut from local councils’ social care budgets since 2010, meaning that social services departments are able to offer this kind of vital help to fewer and fewer people leaving hospital.” “That’s not surprising when £1.7bn has been cut from local councils’ social-care budgets since 2010, meaning that social services departments are able to offer this kind of vital help to fewer and fewer people leaving hospital.”
Siva Anandaciva, head of analysis at NHS Providers, which represents hospitals, said that a key factor was that “heading into winter, demand and activity are up, and social care cuts have started to bite, which influences both the number and severity of the patients the NHS is treating, and our ability to get these patients back to their homes and communities when they no longer need medical care.” Siva Anandaciva, head of analysis at NHS Providers, which represents hospitals, said that a key factor was that “heading into winter, demand and activity are up, and social-care cuts have started to bite, which influences both the number and severity of the patients the NHS is treating, and our ability to get these patients back to their homes and communities when they no longer need medical care.”
He also highlighted health secretary Jeremy Hunt’s decision to give the NHS far less money this year than usual to help them cope with winter pressures. As a result hospitals will put themselves at “considerable financial risk” if they spend money opening extra beds and hiring additional staff, Anandaciva said. He also highlighted the decision of the health secretary, Jeremy Hunt,’ to give the NHS far less money this year than usual to help them cope with winter pressures. As a result, hospitals would put themselves at “considerable financial risk” if they spent money opening extra beds and hiring additional staff, Anandaciva said.
NHS England’s data also showed that:NHS England’s data also showed that:
The ten NHS regional ambulance services also missed their targets for responding to both Red 1 and Red 2 calls within the required eight minutes. The 10 NHS regional ambulance services also missed their targets for responding to both the highest priority calls, so-called Red 1, and less urgent but still life-threatening cases, Red 2 calls, within the required eight minutes.
The monthly figures come just before NHS England is due to start publishing on Friday a weekly snapshot of how it is coping during the winter.The monthly figures come just before NHS England is due to start publishing on Friday a weekly snapshot of how it is coping during the winter.
However, it has been accused of a cover-up after after it decided not to publish weekly a number of key figures that it always has done during winter until now. However, it has been accused of a cover-up after after it decided not to publish every week a number of key figures that it always has done before during winter. They include data for the number of ambulances queuing outside hospitals because A&Es are too busy, operations that have had to be cancelled and delayed transfers of care.
They include data for the number of ambulances queuing outside hospitals because A&Es are so busy, operations that have had to be cancelled and delayed transfers of care.
Labour has accused Hunt of ordering politically embarrassing statistics to be kept under wraps. Dr Cliff Mann, president of the Royal College of Emergency Medicine, has already criticised the omissions as “greatly to be regretted. It seems as though somebody has decided to glaze over the windscreen”.Labour has accused Hunt of ordering politically embarrassing statistics to be kept under wraps. Dr Cliff Mann, president of the Royal College of Emergency Medicine, has already criticised the omissions as “greatly to be regretted. It seems as though somebody has decided to glaze over the windscreen”.