News Story

CSA response to the January delayed discharge figures

March 10, 2016

NHS England released its latest stats on delayed discharge from hospital this morning:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/statistics/statistical-work-areas/delayed-transfers-of-care/delayed-transfers-of-care-data-2015-16/

  • 61.0% of all delays in January 2016 were attributable to the NHS, 32.3% were attributable to Social Care and the remaining 6.7% were attributable to both NHS and Social Care.
  • The proportion of delays attributable to Social Care has increased over the last year to 32.3% in January 2016, compared to 25.9% in January 2015.

In response Vicky McDermott, Chair of the Care and Support Alliance, said:

“These figures show a hike in delays this winter caused by a lack of social care. When people are denied the basic care they need the NHS has to pick up the bill.

“People are being kept in hospital because funding shortfalls mean care packages are delayed or not being provided at all. While funding for social care has fallen by £4.6billion over the last 5 years (1), it is estimated that delayed discharge costs the NHS £900million a year (2).

“Without the Government addressing the chronic underfunding of social care, older and disabled people will simply not get the basic care that everyone deserves and the knock-on problems for our hospitals will only get worse.”

“It is short sighted not to see the impact. Social care continues to be restricted but people’s needs don’t go away just because they are ignored.”

Note to Editors

  • Spending on social care has fallen £4.6bn over the last 5 years (ADASS, Budget Survey 2015 Report, June 15)
  • The Carter review highlighted between 5,500 – 8,500 patients a day could be being used by a patient medically fit to be transferred. These delays could cost up to £900m per year.  (Lord Carter of Coales Review, Operational productivity and performance in English NHS acute hospitals: Unwarranted variations, February 16) 
  • 99% of NHS leaders believe that cuts to social care funding are putting increasing pressures on the NHS as a whole (National survey of NHS leaders, June 2015)
  • As people live longer with multiple long-term conditions and the population ages, increasing numbers need care and support. Despite this, fewer people are receiving state-funded support. The number of people accessing care services has fallen by half a million since 2008/9, a reduction of 30%.( Personal Social Services Research Unit, Changes in the patterns of social care provision in England: 2005/6 to 2012/13, December 2013, http://www.pssru.ac.uk/archive/pdf/dp2867.pdf)
  • The Care and Support Alliance represents more than 80 of Britain’s leading charities campaigning alongside the millions of older people, disabled people and their carers who deserve decent care