Growing problem: Doctors are concerned that elderly patients will not receive adequate care when they leave hospital
Thousands of elderly patients are being forced to stay in hospital for longer than necessary because spending cuts mean there is nowhere else to put them, say doctors.
Bed-blocking, which costs the NHS millions of pounds a year, is worse now than 12 months ago, according to a survey.
The problem, which sees the sick waiting for beds while patients whose treatment has finished are told they cannot leave, has been made worse by cuts to council budgets.
Senior doctors and hospital bosses said it is now more difficult for the elderly to get home help and other community care that allows them to leave hospital because of belt-tightening by local authorities.
The survey, conducted for The Guardian newspaper by Doctors.net.uk, polled 502 doctors working in UK hospitals. Half of those questioned said bed-blocking was worse than a year ago, while 40 per cent said it had not improved.
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1344206/Bed-blocking-rise-care-cuts-bite-Number-elderly-patients-stuck-wards-soars.html#ixzz1A82prcAz
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