Current status: Answered by Shona Robison on 15 December 2016
To ask the Scottish Government how it will support NHS boards during the winter months, in light of (a) reports that there has been a reduction in the number of hospital beds and (b) Information Services Division (ISD) figures that suggest that the number of delayed discharges has been rising since April 2016.
The Scottish Government will support NHS boards and their partners throughout the winter.
Winter Guidance was issued to NHS boards early, to ensure early action is taken to minimise disruption to patients during the winter period. In line with the guidance, NHS boards and their partners are working to increase the number of patients being discharged earlier in day, increase the number of discharges at weekends and public holidays, and strengthen community capacity to reduce delayed discharges.
The Scottish Government has invested an additional £3 million in 2016 to support unscheduled care over the winter. Funding of £9 million for unscheduled care essential actions was also announced by the First Minister in September.
In addition, we are investing £30 million a year to help health and social care partnerships tackle delayed discharges. This money has been used to open intermediate care beds, assess people in more appropriate settings and to focus on caring for people at home by investing in home care, reablement and new technology.
Integration is introducing new ways of working which will drive longer term improvements, with single accountability and joint budgets making better use of resources and improve outcomes for people by reducing unnecessary stays in hospital beds.