Commons Sense

House of Commons · General Debate

Healthcare (Delayed Discharges)

16 March 2022 · 1 other contributor

Opened by Andrew Murrison Con South West Wiltshire

NHS

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Andrew Murrison raised concerns about healthcare (delayed discharges) in the House of Commons. Other MPs contributed to the debate.

Key points

  • Concerns raised about patients remaining in acute hospitals longer than medically necessary, causing harm and burden to the NHS.
  • Estimated annual cost of 1.5 billion due to unnecessary prolonged hospital stays.
  • Proposed bill aims to mandate certification by lead clinicians and establish delayed discharges as over 48 hours post-certification under patient safety regulations.

How the debate unfolded

MPs spoke in turn to share their views and ask questions. Here's what each person said.

Opened the debate

Andrew Murrison Con South West Wiltshire

Twenty years ago, I brought forward a similar bill addressing the issue of 'bed blocking' where patients who are medically fit for discharge remain in acute hospitals, causing harm and burden to the NHS. Today's context remains severe congestion in health and social care with an estimated £1.5 billion annual cost due to unnecessary prolonged hospital stays. My recent family experience highlighted the inadequacy of current systems and has driven me to reintroduce this bill which proposes mandatory certification by lead clinicians, defining delayed discharges as over 48 hours post-certification, establishing it under patient safety regulations, implementing financial penalties on local authorities, centralising funding transfers, publishing league tables of NHS trust performance every three months, requiring the Care Quality Commission to investigate poor performers and fast-track final-day patients.

Other contributors (1)
  • Andrew Murrison Con South West Wiltshire

    Twenty years ago, I brought forward a similar bill addressing the issue of 'bed blocking' where patients who are medically fit for discharge remain in acute hospitals, causing harm and burden to the NHS. Today's context remains severe congestion in health and social care with an estimated £1.5 billion annual cost due to unnecessary prolonged hospital stays. My recent family experience highlighted the inadequacy of current systems and has driven me to reintroduce this bill which proposes mandatory certification by lead clinicians, defining delayed discharges as over 48 hours post-certification, establishing it under patient safety regulations, implementing financial penalties on local authorities, centralising funding transfers, publishing league tables of NHS trust performance every three months, requiring the Care Quality Commission to investigate poor performers and fast-track final-day patients.

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