STAFF are working “really hard” to address the high levels of delayed discharge at healthcare facilities in Argyll and Bute, the area’s chief health officer has said.
The level of delayed discharge is viewed as a significant challenge to the area’s health and social care partnership (HSCP), alongside its financial situation.
But chief officer Evan Beswick said that hard work “has begun to pay off” in recent weeks, although he acknowledged that more work lay ahead.
The details are given in a report to the HSCP’s integration joint board for its meeting on Wednesday, March 25, where it will set its budget for 2026/27.
Mr Beswick said: “Our delayed discharge levels remain high and I know that our staff are working really hard to help address this through a whole-system, multi-disciplinary approach which recognises that no single service can solve the issue in isolation.
“This is bringing together acute services, community teams, social work, care providers and wider partner agencies to help with patient flow while ensuring people receive the right care, in the right place, at the right time.
“Over the past weeks that hard work has begun to pay off and new patient journeys, a changed approach to care and a focus on reablement and independence maximisation has brought about a meaningful improvement in the picture.
“I want to recognise the impact that delayed discharges have on the people we care for, who are waiting to leave hospital, and for their families.
“Our goal is to support individuals to return home or move to the most appropriate setting in the community as soon as they are clinically ready which will help reduce unnecessary hospital stays and improve outcomes for the individuals concerned.”
Mr Beswick added: “As an HSCP we also recognise the importance of prevention and we plan to develop our work upstream to help reduce avoidable admissions.
“Anticipatory care planning, more access to community nursing and allied health services, and stronger links with primary care will also help support people to manage long-term conditions more effectively.
“We know that we have much more to do to reduce our delayed discharges but by adopting this coordinated, whole-system approach across the HSCP we aim to build a more resilient health and social care system.”
