Mental health patient’s hospital discharge delayed for nine years, say Tories

Figures showing that more than 300 patients with mental health problems had to stay in hospital waiting for care – including one patient who had their discharge delayed for more than nine years – have been branded “intolerable” by Scottish Tories.

Conservative health spokesman Dr Sandesh Gulhane said: “The fact that one patient has been unnecessarily holed up in hospital for nigh-on a decade ought to shame Humza Yousaf and co.”

He hit out after data obtained by the Conservatives using freedom of information showed that 356 mental health patients were kept in hospital, despite meeting the criteria to be discharged.

The true figure could be even higher, as two of the country’s 11 mainland health boards did not supply figures – with the islands health boards not having in-hospital mental health patients.

While the average delay patients experienced was 178 days, NHS Lothian revealed that one patient had their departure from hospital delayed by between 3,000 and 3,500 days – a period of up to about nine and a half years.

NHS Lothian also had the highest number of mental health patients who suffered a delayed discharge, with 96 people affected by this, with an average delay of 336 days.

NHS Fife said it had one patient who was delayed by more than six years, with discharge held up for 2,489 days.

Meanwhile, both NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde and NHS Tayside had patients who were delayed by more than 1,000 days – with waits of 1,080 and 1,061 days respectively.

Dr Gulhane, who is a GP as well as sitting as a Scottish Conservative MSP, said: “These intolerable stats are both deeply concerning and a damning indictment of the SNP’s mismanagement of our NHS.”

He stated: “Delayed discharge has knock-on effects across the health service – impacting on A&E waiting times and cancelled operations – but first and foremost it is soul-destroying for the patients directly concerned.

“It’s extremely distressing for anyone to be stuck in hospital when they are fit to leave but for vulnerable mental health patients it is especially damaging to their well-being.”

Dr Gulhane added: “The SNP’s abject failure to tackle delayed discharge – by ensuring social care packages are in place for patients capable of leaving hospital – continues to do enormous damage and must be tackled immediately.”

Tracey McKigen, services director for the Royal Edinburgh and Associated Services at NHS Lothian, said: “We’ve made significant improvements to mental health services and continue to work with the health and social care partnerships to reduce discharge delays.

“Some patients have highly complex needs and must have bespoke care plans in place in the community before they can be discharged.”

A Scottish Government spokesperson said: “It is critical that people are cared for in the right setting as we continue to face pressures on out health and social care system.

“That is why we have put in place the Delayed Discharge and Hospital Occupancy Action Plan to support health boards to create the necessary capacity to deal with emerging pressures.

“We will continue to work with the health boards and health and social care partnerships as they introduce these actions.

“The Scottish Budget for 2023/24 provides record funding of over £19bn for health and social care, providing new investment of over £1bn and supporting recovery and reform to secure sustainable public services. This includes £1.7bn for social care and integration in 2023/24.

“We want people to be supported in a home that is right for them and for people with learning disabilities and complex care needs who face delayed discharges, the Scottish Government is working with practitioners and professionals and people with lived experience, to progress the recommendations in the Coming Home Implementation Report.”