Written Question · S6W-37733 · Session 6
How many delayed discharge incidents from hospital were attributable to a lack of available social care packages, in each of the last five …
The question
To ask the Scottish Government how many delayed discharge incidents from hospital were attributable to a lack of available social care packages, in each of the last five years, also broken down by NHS board.
The answer
A delayed discharge occurs when a hospital 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. Information held nationally on delayed discharges can identify the number of people aged 18 and over who were delayed in their discharge from hospital.People delayed due to a lack of available social care packages can be identified using Delay Reason code 25D – “Awaiting completion of arrangements
- in order to live in their own home – awaiting social care support (non-availability of services)”.Figures from Financial Year 2020-21 to 2024-25 (inclusive) are shown in Table 1.Table 1: Number of people delayed due to Awaiting completion of arrangements in order to live in their own home, awaiting social care support (non-availability of services) in the financial Years 2020-21 to 2024-25 by Health Board.Health Board2020-212021-222022-232023-242024-25NHS Ayrshire & Arran1,1121,5301,4601,6601,652NHS Borders173213190178211NHS Dumfries & Galloway148338453512498NHS Fife350745471128281NHS Forth Valley583761777428451NHS Grampian289383374356391NHS Greater Glasgow & Clyde6841,3311,6221,5521,123NHS Highland396387406424505NHS Lanarkshire2,4852,2582,5392,5842,424NHS Lothian1,5682,0442,1592,1672,226NHS Orkney1626342437NHS Shetland 837474661NHS Tayside531786942738750NHS Western Isles 7885685588Scotland8,41610,89211,50710,81410,6711.The data relate to individuals aged 18 years and over, in the delayed discharges data collection, who were clinically ready for discharge from hospital and experienced a delay reason recorded as due to awaiting completion of arrangements in order to live in their own home, awaiting social care support (non-availability of services).2.If an individual was delayed in multiple financial years, they will be counted in each financial year they were delayed.3.The total for Scotland in a year may not match the sum of the people delayed in each Health Board in a year. This is due to some people experienced delays in more than one Health Board during a financial year. A person would count once in each health board they were delayed in and at Scotland level, a person will only be counted once in the financial year.4.Further information on Delayed Discharges can be found on the Public Health Scotland (PHS) website:https://publichealthscotland.scot/healthcare-system/secondary-care/delayed-discharges/overview/Source: Public Health ScotlandRef IR2025-00417
- in order to live in their own home – awaiting social care support (non-availability of services)”.Figures from Financial Year 2020-21 to 2024-25 (inclusive) are shown in Table 1.Table 1: Number of people delayed due to Awaiting completion of arrangements in order to live in their own home, awaiting social care support (non-availability of services) in the financial Years 2020-21 to 2024-25 by Health Board.Health Board2020-212021-222022-232023-242024-25NHS Ayrshire & Arran1,1121,5301,4601,6601,652NHS Borders173213190178211NHS Dumfries & Galloway148338453512498NHS Fife350745471128281NHS Forth Valley583761777428451NHS Grampian289383374356391NHS Greater Glasgow & Clyde6841,3311,6221,5521,123NHS Highland396387406424505NHS Lanarkshire2,4852,2582,5392,5842,424NHS Lothian1,5682,0442,1592,1672,226NHS Orkney1626342437NHS Shetland 837474661NHS Tayside531786942738750NHS Western Isles 7885685588Scotland8,41610,89211,50710,81410,6711.The data relate to individuals aged 18 years and over, in the delayed discharges data collection, who were clinically ready for discharge from hospital and experienced a delay reason recorded as due to awaiting completion of arrangements in order to live in their own home, awaiting social care support (non-availability of services).2.If an individual was delayed in multiple financial years, they will be counted in each financial year they were delayed.3.The total for Scotland in a year may not match the sum of the people delayed in each Health Board in a year. This is due to some people experienced delays in more than one Health Board during a financial year. A person would count once in each health board they were delayed in and at Scotland level, a person will only be counted once in the financial year.4.Further information on Delayed Discharges can be found on the Public Health Scotland (PHS) website:https://publichealthscotland.scot/healthcare-system/secondary-care/delayed-discharges/overview/Source: Public Health ScotlandRef IR2025-00417
In the Official Report
No contribution in the Official Report cites S6W-37733 by reference.