Shropshire Star

Shropshire Council hits bed-blocking targets

Shropshire Council will retain crucial funding after meeting targets on bed blocking.

Published
Shirehall

The authority had faced the threat of a significant amount of government funding being withdrawn if its work to prevent bed blocking, known as delayed transfers of care, did not improve.

When the news emerged in September the council joined forces with eight other local authorities to warn of a “catastrophe” if the money, from the Improved Better Care Fund, was withheld.

However, now the council has revealed that it has improved the rates of delayed transfers of care, meaning it is no longer at risk of losing the funding.

Councillor Lee Chapman, Shropshire Council’s cabinet member for adult social care, health and housing, praised the work of staff in improving the authority’s performance.

He said: “No-one wishes to be in hospital longer than is necessary and in adult social care we work to support people to be discharged as soon as they are well. We are delighted that in September we exceeded the target that had been set nationally for us.

“I would like to offer my congratulations to all those involved who I know have worked extremely hard to ensure that people return home from hospital as soon as possible.

“This is a great result from the team.”

Delayed transfers of care take place when a patient is fit to leave hospital but is unable to because of a lack of care in place for when they depart.

A report from Shropshire Council officer Tanya Miles states that the council was asked to reduce the number of people delayed in the transfer of their care, to 6.7 people per day by September.

The most recent figures show the authority had reduced the figure to 3.16.

The report states: “From April 2014 there was a gradual increase in the number of delayed days attributed to this council culminating in a peak in December 2016.

“Performance targets were set by the NHS in July 2017 and were required to be met by September 2017 (published in November 2017).

“Failure to achieve the targets could result in Shropshire New money (Improved Better Care Fund) being reduced 2018/19. Performance since July has been closely monitored and action has been taken to address the number of delays. Shropshire delays attributed to adult social care were required to be no more than an average of 6.7 patients per day.

“During the current year the monthly number of delayed bed days has reduced. Adult social care have seen month on month improvements during the reporting period. Jointly attributed delays have remained stable. NHS attributed delays have seen an increase in the latest two months.”

The report adds: “When the baseline targets were set, delayed days attributed to the council in Shropshire were amongst the highest rate in England. The published data for September shows that the rate of delays per 100,000 people is now in the lowest quartile.”