Mental health patient's discharge delayed by nine years, figures show
The Scottish Conservatives says the stats are "intolerable"
Last updated 30th Jul 2023
A mental health patient’s hospital discharge was delayed for nine years, according to the Scottish Conservatives.
Figures show the average wait time was almost six months, with 356 mental health patients being kept in hospital, despite meeting the criteria to be discharged.
The true figure could be even higher, as two of the country's 11 mainland health boards did not supply figures - with the islands health boards not having in-hospital mental health patients.
Conservative health spokesman Dr Sandesh Gulhane said: "These intolerable stats are both deeply concerning and a damning indictment of the SNP's mismanagement of our NHS.
"The fact that one patient has been unnecessarily holed up in hospital for nigh-on a decade ought to shame Humza Yousaf and co.
"Delayed discharge has knock-on effects across the health service - impacting on A&E waiting times and cancelled operations - but first and foremost it is soul-destroying for the patients directly concerned.”
Dr Gulhane added: "The SNP's abject failure to tackle delayed discharge - by ensuring social care packages are in place for patients capable of leaving hospital - continues to do enormous damage and must be tackled immediately."
As well as being the health board with the mental health patient who was kept in hospital for nine years, NHS Lothian also had the highest number of mental health patients suffering a delayed discharge, with 96 people affected by this, with an average delay of 336 days.
NHS Fife said it had one patient who was delayed by more than six years, with discharge held up for 2,489 days.
Meanwhile, both NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde and NHS Tayside had patients who were delayed by more than 1,000 days - with waits of 1,080 and 1,061 days respectively.
"Significant improvements"
Tracey McKigen, services director for the Royal Edinburgh and Associated Services at NHS Lothian, said: "We've made significant improvements to mental health services and continue to work with the health and social care partnerships to reduce discharge delays.
"Some patients have highly complex needs and must have bespoke care plans in place in the community before they can be discharged."
A Scottish Government spokesperson said: "It is critical that people are cared for in the right setting as we continue to face pressures on out health and social care system.
"That is why we have put in place the Delayed Discharge and Hospital Occupancy Action Plan to support health boards to create the necessary capacity to deal with emerging pressures.
"We will continue to work with the health boards and health and social care partnerships as they introduce these actions.”