THE number of hospital beds that are ‘blocked’ because Hertfordshire patients cannot access suitable social care back at home has fallen.

Delayed Transfers of Care – also known as ‘bed-blocking’ – occur when patients are medically fit to be discharged, but remain in hospital.

Last year (2017/18) government figures show that, on average, 134 hospital beds were ‘blocked’ in Hertfordshire at any one time.

In some cases those delays occur because of NHS processes within the hospital – but in others its because of a lack of available health or social care at home.

Hertfordshire County Council is working to reduce discharge delays resulting from social care related issues.

On Monday (September 3) a meeting of Adult Care and Health Cabinet Panel will hear that they have decreased by 56.25 per cent since July last year.

“Reducing delayed transfers of care continues to be a priority for Adult Care Services,” says the report.

“The heatwave has led to higher than expected hospital attendances and admissions over the summer months which has put pressure on Integrated Discharge Teams.

“Despite this, performance has continued to improve, so that since April 2017 (when NHS England set targets on Council to reduce delays) social care delays have reduced by 56.25 per cent.”

The measures for discharge delays used by the Council is the number of ‘bed days’ lost per month per 100k of population.

Between July 2017 and June 2018 the figure for delay attributable to social care has fallen from 4.8 days to 2.1 days.

The council’s target, which is set by the Government, is 2.6 days per 100k population – which they have beaten in just one of the past 12 months.

According to the latest statistic the Hertfordshire now ranks 78th of the 151 councils nationally, compared to 122nd in April 2017.

The county council report identifies the most common reason for delay beween April and June this year (in 63 per cent of cases) was the sourcing a care package in the home.

Other reasons, it says, include residential or nursing home, family choice, funding or need for equipment or adaptation.

Delays relating to assessment by hospital based social work teams have fallen to six per cent, which the report put down to investment and seven day working.

Meanwhile discharge delays attributable to the NHS – says the report – have fallen by 11.8 per cent, from 11 days per 100,000 population to 9.7 between July 2017 and June 2018. It says that in June NHS delays in Hertfordshire ranked 133rd highest.