The Telegraph has reported that on average, “around 14,000 patients deemed fit to leave hospital are stuck in beds every day” and the congestion causing the backlog in A&E departments.
DAUK co-chair Dr Matt Kneale said patients are held up by “numerous bottlenecks” before being sent home.
“While social care shortages are the predominant issue, smaller factors stack up to create a big problem,” he told The Telegraph.
“Many hospitals have limits on the times their pharmacies are open, he explained, meaning patients can often be stuck on the ward all day, or an extra night, waiting for their medication.”
“In his Manchester trust, requests for medication must be completed by 4pm. Dr Kneale said: “[Patients] can be discharged and told to come back, but often that’s not practicable with other comorbidities, or [if they are] unable to travel.”
“If a patient is going back to a care home, for example, it wouldn’t be that simple. Occasionally trusts pay for private taxis to deliver medications to patients.”
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