NHS Grampian second only to Western Isles in delayed discharge for mental health patients

Delays to Mental Health patients in units across NHS Grampian going home are more likely than in most other health boards.

New figures show the health board comes second only to the Western Isles when it comes to delayed discharge.

It was almost double the Scottish average of 1.226 per 100,000.

There was a general increase reported across Scotland and Grampian’s rate had increased from the last reported statistic, in 2015/16, of 1.844 per 100,000 weighted population.

North East region Scottish Conservative MSP Tom Mason said:

“It’s likely that many of the people who stay in hospitals are keenly waiting for suitable arrangements to be made in the community.

“But the gulf between the North East and most of Scotland in these new statistics is alarming.

“We must ensure that people here have access to the best possible mental health services that we can provide.

“But Grampian has consistently been underfunded by the SNP according to the NRAC formula.”

The ISD data considers a delayed discharge as a stay longer than six weeks.

An NHS Grampian spokesman said: "Delayed discharge is frustrating for the patient, their relatives and our clinical teams. These are patients who are medically fit to leave hospital but are unable to do so. This may be because they are awaiting a care home place, adjustments to their own home or perhaps individual family circumstances.

"All three of the Health & Social Care Partnerships in the north east areas have action plans in place to deal with short, medium and long term approaches to delayed discharge. It must be stressed there is no 'quick fix' for this issue and we continue to work closely with the three local partnerships to help resolve these issues where they occur.