Covid: Bed blocking in Scottish hospitals returns to pre-pandemic levels

Delayed discharges from Scottish hospitals continued to rise in September, the latest figures show, with patients spending 48,436 unnecessary days in wards.

Data from Public Health Scotland (PHS) showed that delayed discharges were up by 8% in September.

The trend in delayed discharge bed use has continued to rise since the summer and has now returned to pre-pandemic levels.

Bed use dropped sharply at the start of the pandemic in March 2020 as emergency measures were brought in.

In September 2021, a total of 1,576 patients had their discharged delayed, of which 1,340 people were delayed by more than three days.

Health and social care reasons accounted for 70% of these delays, with complex needs reasons accounting for 27% and family reasons making up 3%.

Health Secretary, Humza Yousaf said he hoped to see a "significant reduction" in delayed discharges over the winter.
Fraser Bremner/Daily Mail

In early October, Health Secretary Humza Yousaf announced a £300 million funding package for the NHS, designed to help it through its most difficult winter in history.

He said he hoped to see a “significant reduction” in delayed discharges over winter.