A patient has spent nearly THREE YEARS waiting to be discharged from an NHS Dumfries and Galloway hospital!
According to the data, the longest wait experienced locally was 916 days while the average delayed discharge presently stands at 77 days.
Local constituency MSP Finlay Carson described the situation as “totally unacceptable” and demanded urgent action to alleviate the bed-blocking crisis.
He said it should be a “source of shame” for SNP ministers that patients otherwise fit and healthy enough to leave hospital cannot do so, for want of a suitable care package.
His reaction comes after responses to Freedom of Information requests from the Scottish Conservatives revealed the true scale of delayed discharge across Scotland.
The Galloway and West Dumfries MSP argued the figures “fly in the face” of then SNP health secretary Shona Robison’s promise in 2015 to eradicate delayed discharge from Scotland’s hospitals.
Mr Carson insists delayed discharge has a “devastating” knock-on effect on other areas of the health service, with patients facing longer waits at A&E or seeing operations cancelled at the last minute.
He added that the figures must be an urgent wake-up call for under-fire SNP health secretary Neil Gray to finally get resources to the frontline in NHS Dumfries and Galloway rather than money being wasted on bureaucracy.
He said: “Far too many patients are stuck for far too long in hospitals in NHS Dumfries and Galloway on the SNP’s watch.
“Almost a decade has passed since the SNP promised to eradicate delayed discharge from Scotland’s hospitals, but these figures fly in the face of that.
“It should be a source of shame for SNP ministers that one patient waited an astonishing 916 days to leave hospital despite being deemed fit to go home, and that on average patients are waiting weeks, if not months, to be discharged.
Mr Carson continued: “These waits not only have a huge impact on the patients involved, they also have devastating knock-on effects for other patients in my constituency. Despite the best efforts of dedicated staff, more and more patients will suffer longer waits at A&E or see operations cancelled at the last minute because beds simply are not available.
“The figures must be an urgent wake-up call for SNP health secretary Neil Gray to finally get a grip of this crisis. This is exactly where investment in the NHS should be going, rather than being wasted on pointless bureaucracy and pen-pushing.”
Last year the Scottish Conservative and Unionist MSP highlighted the plight of Brian Gibson who has been stuck in hospital in Stranraer since August 13 – and remains there.
Occupational Therapy insist his current home is not suitable for adapting and needs to be rehoused.
However out of more than 300 houses there are only 12 suitable in the location Brian wants – and these are currently all tenanted.
Wheatley Homes South remains in discussion with Brian and his partner Tracy.
