Age UK points to the “escalating social care crisis in England” for the increase in people remaining in hospital when there is no clinical need for them to be there.
Figures published by the charity today estimate that 2.43 million ‘bed days’ were lost to the NHS between June 2010 and March 2015 due to delays in social care.
The figures also suggest that the average number of patients who were kept in hospital unnecessarily because social care was unavailable increased by 19% between 2013/14 and 2014/15.
Caroline Abrahams, charity director at Age UK, explains that these delays can occur due to “a delayed assessment, care home place, home care package or home adaptation.”
Adding: “Without decent social care when discharged, whether to their own home or to a care home, hospital stays are often much longer than they need to be and older people are more likely to be readmitted because their recovery stalls.”
While tackling gaps in social care is critical to helping reduce pressure on hospitals, Hospice UK says that hospices can also play a key role in helping reduce the number of people in hospital beds at the end of life.
“The high numbers of older people in hospital include those who are approaching the end of life, many of whom have no clinical need to be there and would much prefer to spend their final days supported in the comfort of their own home, or in a hospice,” explains Jonathan Ellis, director of policy and advocacy at Hospice UK.
“Tackling gaps in social care is critical to helping reduce pressure on hospitals. However, we also need to look at the different needs of people who find themselves in a hospital bed and who could be better supported through community-based care.
“Better joint working between hospitals and a variety of care organisations, including hospices, will be just as important to achieving this.”
Half of the 550,000 UK deaths occur in hospital each year, but over four in five (85%) of those who die in hospital wanted to die at home.
Last year Hospice UK launched a new programme with the aim of cutting the number of people dying in hospital by 50,000 each year – around a fifth of the total annual hospital deaths in the UK.
Jonathan explains: “Many hospices are already working with hospitals to reduce the number of people in hospital beds at the end of life by providing alternative care. We have asked the government to expand this work by backing a national programme to help reduce the number of people in hospital beds at the end of life.
“Our initiative would deliver a better care experience and generate an estimated £80 million in savings annually for the NHS.”
In response to the figures released by Age UK today Marie Curie has also called on the government to do more to ensure that people with a terminal illness can access high quality palliative care.
“We know that delayed or poorly coordinated social care are a significant barrier for people who want to be cared for and die at home,” a spokesperson from Marie Curie commented. “The government must look seriously at social care funding, but also do more to ensure that people with a terminal illness can access high quality palliative care.”
Adding: “What is clear from Age UK’s figures and our own research is that supporting people to be cared for out of hospital through the provision of high quality social care is cost-effective for the NHS and also meets people’s preferences for care.”
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