Sharon Dowey blasts Scottish Government for delayed discharge "broken promise"
A war of words has broken out between the Scottish Government and MSP Sharon Dowey.
A South Scotland MSP has blasted the Scottish Government for their "broken promise" on delayed discharge in Ayrshire.
Conservative Sharon Dowey has called out the SNP 's record after new figures released by Public Health Scotland into delayed discharge across Scotland.
Health Secretary Neil Gray has said that although delays "remain too high", the figures highlight a "welcome reduction".
In March this year, a total of 6,645 bed days were lost in NHS Ayrshire & Arran as a result of delayed discharge.
Delayed discharge, also known as bed blocking, is when a patient remains in hospital when they are well enough to go home but an appropriate care package has not been put in place.
Ms Dowey said: 'With each passing month, the SNP continue to break their promise to eradicate delayed discharge.
'It is now over a decade since then SNP health secretary Shona Robison made that promise, but still too many days are still being lost in Ayrshire & Arran due to so-called bed blocking.
'The SNP's failure to support frontline health and social care services is trapping in hospital patients who are otherwise fit and healthy enough to leave.
'These figures sum up the folly of SNP ministers squandering tens of millions on their plans for a national care service when patients in Ayrshire and Arran need care packages right now.
'The failure to tackle delayed discharge also has a devastating impact on frontline services, where patients wait longer at A&E or see vital operations cancelled at the last minute, due to a lack of bed space.
'It is time for SNP ministers to focus on getting money to where it is needed most, rather than wasting it on pointless bureaucracy, so that patients can get out of hospital when they are fit to do so.'
Health Secretary Mr Gray said: 'While around 97 per cent of all hospital discharges happen without delay, we recognise that delays remain too high.
'However, the latest figures show a welcome reduction, and when coupled with improvements in A&E and planned care waiting times, it's clear that progress in performance is being made.
'We have a clear plan to continue to reduce delayed discharge and our Budget provides £200 million to help reduce waiting list backlogs, improve capacity and remove blockages that keep some patients in hospital longer than they need to be.
'We are determined to continue delivering better outcomes for patients so that they are cared for in the right setting and hospital beds are there for those who need them.'
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