South Scotland Labour MSP Colin Smyth has revealed the staggering £3million cost of delayed discharge in Dumfries and Galloway 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 13,791 bed days lost due to delayed discharge. This came at a cost of £3,213,303.

The analysis shows that this was a considerable increase from the 10,481 bed days lost during 2017.

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 Dumfries and Galloway is being forced to spend over £3million 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 a funding gap of £16million in Dumfries and Galloway Council’s budget as a result of the SNP/ Green deal this situation will continue to get worse before it gets better with council spending on social care likely to be far less than is needed to put in place the care packages required.

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.”