Delays in patients being discharged from hospitals in Glasgow have cost over £30 million.
New figures show that NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde spent £31,416,053 in 2021/22 due to delayed discharges.
Delayed discharges occur when a patient who is clinically ready for discharge from inpatient hospital care continues to occupy a hospital bed beyond the date they are ready for discharge. This often happens because the necessary care or accommodation for them isn't in place, or funding isn't available for a care home place.
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The issue places further pressure on hospital services. In Glasgow last year, 113,211 bed days were lost.
Spending on delayed discharges in NHS Lanarkshire cost £16 million and just under £150 million in Scotland as a whole. Patients aged 75 and over made up 66 per cent of those facing delays.
Nicola Sturgeon earlier this week described the NHS as under 'severe pressure' with health boards now being ordered to review discharge plans to see if patients can be sent home sooner.
The First Minister said that NHS boards have until the end of this month to review their discharge plans.
To tackle capacity issues at hospitals, the Scottish Government announced an additional £8 million to buy care home beds in a bed to free up spaces in hospitals.
Health and Social Care partnerships have since been working with care home providers to "identify available beds and match them with patients as appropriate".
Ms Sturgeon said health boards are now being “asked to review before the end of January all discharge plans in acute and community hospitals to identify patients who should be discharged more quickly”.
NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde launched an initiative in December to encourage families to make sure arrangements are in place for their loved ones leaving hospital.
The 'Home for Lunch' campaign encourages and supports pre-noon discharge for those ready to home wherever possible.
Pam Duncan-Glancy MSP said: "Scottish Labour have secured a debate on the NHS in the Scottish Parliament this week to demand answers, and solutions from the SNP Government."
A spokesperson for NHSGGC added: "There are many reasons for delayed discharge and we are working closely with care home providers, our HSCP colleagues in the community, and with our acute teams, to improve the rate of discharge across sites, wherever possible, to ensure that hospital beds are occupied by those who require hospital care.
"As we plan for a discharge, our teams work hard with each patient, and their family, to ensure they are supported and that ongoing care continues in another appropriate medical setting, or in a home environment, should this be required. We would like to thank staff across all of our services for their continued hard work and commitment in these challenging times."
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