Figures from the Liberal Democrats show that up to one in three hospital beds in England are taken up by 'delayed discharge' patients.
Sir Julian Hartley, chief executive, NHS Providers, said: "Thousands of hospital beds are taken up every day by patients stuck in hospital when they don't need to be, often because of the strain on overstretched social care and community services.
"Persistent delays discharging patients who are fit enough to continue recovery at or close to home adds to the growing pressure right across the health and care system. The knock-on effects on people, accident and emergency departments and ambulances waiting to hand over patients are huge.
"Long overdue reform and adequate, sustainable funding of social care is needed urgently if we are to address the worrying number of delayed discharges."
Patricia Marquis, Executive Director of RCN England, commented: “Nobody should stay in hospital longer than they need to, but every day thousands remain on wards simply because the NHS can’t discharge them to where they can receive more appropriate care. This adds pressure across hospitals leaving patients waiting hours to be admitted and others being treated in corridors, doorways, and store cupboards.
“Politicians on all sides need to show they understand you can’t disentangle the NHS from social care. Pressures in one impact directly on the other and it is patients who suffer the consequences.
“In this election year, any party wanting to gain the trust of the public needs to show they have plans to resolve the crisis in social care. This must include funding for pay to attract and retain the trained nursing staff patients need.”
