There were almost five times as many delayed hospital discharges in South Ayrshire than in East Ayrshire according to recent health board figures.
While the focus has been on delayed discharges role in Ayrshire hospitals being close to capacity, the gap in performance between the three authorities in the NHS Ayrshire and Arran boundaries is striking.
Delayed discharges occur when patients who are medically fit to leave hospital cannot - due to insufficient care or accommodation.
