Action needed on social care with more people stuck in hospital
Alison Johnstone MSP, Health spokesperson for the Scottish Greens, today (11 Oct) urged a renewed effort from the Scottish Government to ensure adequate social care provision, as figures showed a big rise in the number of people stuck in hospital waiting for care packages.
There were 1,472 people who experience delayed discharge from hospital in August, a rise of 284 people from the figure of 1,188 in August last year.
70 per cent of people experiencing a delay were aged over 75.
A third were waiting for a place in a care home, and a further third were waiting to be allocated a carer or other support in order to live in their own home.
Alison Johnstone MSP said:
"Delays in accessing care places and support to live at home cause stress for entire families. People are stuck in hospital when they should be in a more appropriate setting.
"We must invest in social care staff so we ease the pressure on bed space in an NHS facing huge demands. There are serious concerns that despite the Scottish Government's pledge to ensure social care staff get paid the Living Wage, not all providers are yet doing so and it's essential that ministers follow through on that.
"As well as supporting workers, we must look again at adaptations to transport and housing that so often cause a delay.”
Delayed Discharges in NHSScotland, Figures for August 2016 from ISD Scotland