20,000 patients a year ‘warehoused’ in community beds after hospital discharge
More than 20,000 patients each year are being left to languish in care homes and community beds after discharge from hospital without any rehab support according to new data obtained by HSJ.
The findings of NHS England’s audit of NHS-funded community beds were released to HSJ after a Freedom of Information request.
The data showed that during March 2024, 1,999 of the total 13,196 beds (13.9%) did not “provide rehab, reablement and recovery services”. These beds are overwhelmingly used for short-term rehab and recovery after an acute stay.
When applied to all discharges into this kind of care over a 12-month period, the audit data suggests well over 20,000 people a year are placed in beds without rehab support.
The senior clinicians I spoke to about the data said the lack of rehab was “inhumane” and would cause patients to deteriorate and decondition, rather than recover.
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Source: HSJ, 5 August 2024