'Bed-blocking' up at Shropshire's hospitals over the last year
The problem of so-called "bed blocking" at Shropshire's two main hospitals has grown by 30 per cent over the past year.
Patients who are well enough to be discharged but who need a care package before they go home is set to get worse as the winter approaches, health bosses fear.
The Shrewsbury and Telford Hospitals NHS Trust is in talks with providers of care in the community to see how the situation can be eased.
Members of the public at a trust board meeting in Newtown on Thursday criticised the NHS for closing a ward at Ludlow Hospital earlier this year when they said the beds would be ideal for such patients.
In 2013/14 an average of 61 patients were in either the Royal Shrewsbury or Princess Royal Hospitals, medically fit to be discharged but with no care package available for them.
But in 2014/15 the figure had risen to 95.
Speaking at the meeting, Debbie Kadum, chief operations officer for the Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital Trust, said: "There are currently 65 beds blocked with patients who do not need to be with us.
"Hospital is absolutely the wrong place for them to be.
"These patients should be transferred out to where they should be, whether that is other care or to their home with a package of care in place.
"There are vulnerable old people in the main. Hospital is the last place they should be."
Simon Wright, chief executive of the trust, said it was looking at ways that staff could support other parties within the system out of the hospital.
"If we can help out in the community we can allow frail old people to move out of hospital and keep their independence.
"We do not have elastic walls, we can not accommodate more and more patients."
Joyce Brand, from Ludlow, asked the trust board why, when the problems of "bed blocking" were so bad, had Ludlow Hospital lost one of its wards.
"It doesn't make any sense at all - how can it be said that the beds are not needed," she said.
There were also worries from the public about care in the community.
In a statement from Shropshire and Telford & Wrekin Clinical Commissioning Groups, Brigid (CORR) Stacey, said: " All partners across Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin responsible for health and social care are committed to working together to ensure people are receiving the care they need, quickly and safely, in the right time and in the right place.
David Evans, chief officer of Telford & Wrekin clinical commissioning group, added: "Both Telford & Wrekin and Shropshire CCG have invested significantly in a number of initiatives to support local healthcare services, including multi-disciplinary teams to facilitate earlier discharge from hospital.
"Multi-disciplinary teams consist of social workers, occupational therapists, physiotherapists, nurses and support workers working to ensure that patients who can be treated in either their own homes or closer to home are supported to do so wherever possible."
