South Scotland Labour MSP Colin Smyth has revealed the staggering £3 million cost of delayed discharge in the Borders for the whole of 2018.

Analysis by Colin Smyth MSP from the Scottish Government’s Information Services Division (ISD) Scotland shows that in 2018 there were a total of 12,814 bed days lost due to delayed discharge. This came at a cost of £2,985,662.

Delayed discharge is when a patient is medically cleared to go home but cannot leave hospital, often because a social care package is not in place.

Colin Smyth said, “These figures show that NHS Borders is being forced to spend nearly £3 million to keep people in hospital when they are fit to go home. But due to the crisis in social care that this SNP Scottish Government is presiding over there far too often is not the resources to ensure a support package in place.

With cuts to Scottish Borders Council budget as a result of the SNP/ Green deal this situation will continue to get worse before it gets better.

Scottish Labour would ensure social care gets the staff and funding it needs and in government we would introduce a National Care Workers Guarantee with a commitment to secure hours, a living wage and reimbursement for travel and training time. We are serious about protecting our NHS and delivering the real change that our communities need.”