The BGS’s ‘Timely Discharge’ campaign aims to raise awareness of the detrimental effects on older people of being stuck in hospital when they are 'medically fit for discharge'. You can view updates from the campaign or join the discussion on Twitter using the hashtag #BGSTimelyDischarge.
In an open letter to Sajid Javid, the British Geriatrics Society, Age UK, Independent Age, Care England, the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy and the National Care Forum have called for immediate steps to be taken to address the shortage of care workers to ensure that older people are able to access the care they need when they are discharged from hospital. This includes an immediate bonus and pay rise for staff working in social care and for care workers to be added to the Shortage Occupation List.
The letter highlights the stories shared through the British Geriatrics Society’s Timely Discharge campaign, illustrating the human impact on large numbers of older people in hospitals across the country who are medically fit for discharge but cannot access the care and rehabilitation they need to return home. A massive shortfall in available care staff means that older people are ending up stuck in hospital when they do not need to be there.
Our blog series explores the causes of delayed discharges, the knock-on effects to the wider health and social care system, and what needs to change. The blogs in this series can be viewed below.
