Bed Blocking in the NHS

[fairhaven]

One of the major factors in the ongoing crisis in our A&E departments is the inability to admit patients due to the lack of available beds. This company have come up with a solution to the problem

http://www.bedstatetracker.co.uk/EN/Home.aspx

Why couldn't action have been taken by locally before now, particularly as just recently another nursing home has closed, an ideal opportunity missed in my opinion to provide a solution to the problem.

[Alikado]

That isn't the problem, or only a small part of it. Care packages aren't just Care Homes, it is also things like District Nurses, Physios and Home Care that need to be arranged. Part of the crisis is caused by 'Care Homes' who are understaffed & under trained and just ring 999 when there is a problem. Liverpool have trialled a system in a disused care home using it as a 'Halfway House' with 24/7 medical staff in attendance until the packages can be put in place.

[silver fox]

Care home availabilty is only apart of the problem, I believe only a small part of the problem, most patients are held in hospital because the help required to allow patients to return home is not there thanks to government budget cuts.

Only when social care is integrated with the NHS will there be some solution, currently patients coming out of NHS care become the responsibilty of the local authority and most local authorities simply haven't got the funding.

[grassroots]

Care home availabilty is only apart of the problem, I believe only a small part of the problem, most patients are held in hospital because the help required to allow patients to return home is not there thanks to government budget cuts.

Only when social care is integrated with the NHS will there be some solution, currently patients coming out of NHS care become the responsibilty of the local authority and most local authorities simply haven't got the funding.

Once again you are spot on , I have first hand knowledge of the care system , funding is very very difficult to be had , I've been ringing the Welfare Rights office for TWo weeks but as yet no one has answered my calls .
It is an absolute disgrace the way the sick and elderly are being treated or not and it is down SOLELY TO A LACK OF FUNDING . DISGRACEFUL .

[JEB]

'Part of the crisis is caused by 'Care Homes' who are understaffed & under trained and just ring 999 when there is a problem'

Do you include all care homes in your sweeping statement? Because if you do you have very little knowledge of how Care Homes are run and regulated.

[Albion102]

'Part of the crisis is caused by 'Care Homes' who are understaffed & under trained and just ring 999 when there is a problem'

Do you include all care homes in your sweeping statement? Because if you do you have very little knowledge of how Care Homes are run and regulated.

I thought that too, but cba saying it !

[torchwud]

being at the sharp end with my elderly family,,,a complete re think is needed about healthcare, from gps who you cant see for a week, ambulance crews all used as corrider carers, a and e that is really now a surgery, and hospital beds that are occupied by people who should not be there....it should all be funded by nhs and not fighting local authorities for care packages...put all gps into hospitals in walk in centres, a and e only for emergencys, a large inbetween place for people too ill to go home but still not very well (we used to have sanatoriums) the present system is not working for anyone, time for massive change

[Alikado]

'Part of the crisis is caused by 'Care Homes' who are understaffed & under trained and just ring 999 when there is a problem'

Do you include all care homes in your sweeping statement? Because if you do you have very little knowledge of how Care Homes are run and regulated.

There are some where the Ambulance is a frequent visitor.

[Alikado]

being at the sharp end with my elderly family,,,a complete re think is needed about healthcare, from gps who you cant see for a week, ambulance crews all used as corrider carers, a and e that is really now a surgery, and hospital beds that are occupied by people who should not be there....it should all be funded by nhs and not fighting local authorities for care packages...put all gps into hospitals in walk in centres, a and e only for emergencys, a large inbetween place for people too ill to go home but still not very well (we used to have sanatoriums) the present system is not working for anyone, time for massive change

There is already a GP Centre at Southport, but that was not enough to prevent a 10 hr 23 mins wait for one patient just to get into the hospital, god knows how much longer they had to wait to see a doctor and receive treatment.

[fairhaven]

So bed blocking not a major problem then, pleased to see at least one trust
has seen the way forward.

Cumbria's health services say they're looking for new ways of working to cope with the increasing numbers of patients which means services such as accident and emergency departments are being put under pressure
<figure class="lx-stream-post-body__media-asset lx-media-asset lx-media-asset--image lx-media-asset--landscape"></figure><figure class="lx-stream-post-body__media-asset lx-media-asset lx-media-asset--image lx-media-asset--landscape">PA
</figure>At the Furness General Hospital in Barrow, managers have hired beds in a care home to clear space for new patients.
If the trust has beds we can move people to, for a long term bed, it'll mean we can free up acute beds for people who are really medically poorly."

<footer class="lx-stream-post-quote__cite gel-brevier gel-brevier-bold"><cite class="lx-stream-post-quote__cite-name">Dina Mason</cite>Discharge co-ordinator, Furness General Hospital</footer>

[duncet]

Care home availabilty is only apart of the problem, I believe only a small part of the problem, most patients are held in hospital because the help required to allow patients to return home is not there thanks to government budget cuts.

Only when social care is integrated with the NHS will there be some solution, currently patients coming out of NHS care become the responsibilty of the local authority and most local authorities simply haven't got the funding.

I totally agree that social care must be integrated with health care and both come under the umbrella of the NHS. However, the funding for social care has to be increased to a realistic level in order that an acceptable level of service can be provided. It is currently far short of what should reasonably be expected within the worlds 5th richest economy.

[silver fox]

So bed blocking not a major problem then, pleased to see at least one trust
has seen the way forward.

Cumbria's health services say they're looking for new ways of working to cope with the increasing numbers of patients which means services such as accident and emergency departments are being put under pressure
<figure class="lx-stream-post-body__media-asset lx-media-asset lx-media-asset--image lx-media-asset--landscape"></figure><figure class="lx-stream-post-body__media-asset lx-media-asset lx-media-asset--image lx-media-asset--landscape">PA
</figure>At the Furness General Hospital in Barrow, managers have hired beds in a care home to clear space for new patients.
If the trust has beds we can move people to, for a long term bed, it'll mean we can free up acute beds for people who are really medically poorly."

<footer class="lx-stream-post-quote__cite gel-brevier gel-brevier-bold"><cite class="lx-stream-post-quote__cite-name">Dina Mason</cite>Discharge co-ordinator, Furness General Hospital</footer>

Good plan, but sad that just as the BBC are doing a shot for the news, a staff nurse came in to announce the closure of a ward due to norovirus, demonstrates just how near the edge the NHS are working.

Incidentally I think some hospitals have already set up similar facilities using unoccupied wards, fairly sure there are some unused wards in Ormskirk.

[ausard2]

Please, as I read the health service was created to help and assist
the elderly the infirm and children. Not to to look after, so many people
seem to think its not their problem to look after mum & dad but lets forget
who put you through school etc and supported you along the way.

[Hamble]

Please, as I read the health service was created to help and assist
the elderly the infirm and children. Not to to look after, so many people
seem to think its not their problem to look after mum & dad but lets forget
who put you through school etc and supported you along the way.

Many people have elderly parents and grandparents to think of as well as hold down a job.

[Alikado]

Please, as I read the health service was created to help and assist
the elderly the infirm and children. Not to to look after, so many people
seem to think its not their problem to look after mum & dad but lets forget
who put you through school etc and supported you along the way.

Unlike 70 years ago not many people live local to their parents, work often means relocating, also a lot of people retire to a different area.