Dozens and sometimes scores of beds in hospitals are ‘blocked’ by ‘delayed transfer of care’ patients. Cuts to social care make it hard to discharge people once they are well. Older and frail people who end up in hospital become harder to discharge without social care to look after them at home
Patient must wait on a trolley
in A&E until a bed is found
More patients are turning up at A&E because of the ageing and ailing population and shortages of GP appointments
4 Patient is admitted to a ward with an available bed. But as the wards best suited to their needs are full, they end up on an unsuitable ward
3 The hospital is short of beds, particularly because patients classed as ‘delayed transfers of care’ who are fit to leave cannot be discharged
2 Patient finally enters the A&E unit. They are seen by a doctor, treated, and if needed admitted into the hospital
1 An ambulance carrying a sick patient arrives at A&E. On a busy day there may be a queue of ambulances waitng
A&E
A&E
A&E
Patient must wait on a trolley in A&E until a bed is found
More patients are turning up at A&E because of the ageing and ailing population and shortages of GP appointments
Older and frail people who end up in hospital become harder to discharge without social care to look after them at home
4 Patient is admitted to a ward with an available bed. But as the wards best suited to their needs are full, they end up on an unsuitable ward
2 Patient finally enters the A&E unit. They are seen by a doctor, treated, and if needed admitted into the hospital
3 The hospital is short of beds, particularly because patients classed as ‘delayed transfers of care’ who are fit to leave cannot be discharged
Dozens and sometimes scores of beds in hospitals are ‘blocked’ by ‘delayed transfer of care’ patients. Cuts to social care make it hard to discharge people once they are well.
1 An ambulance carrying a sick patient arrives at A&E. On a busy day there may be a queue of ambulances waitng
Wrong Ward
A&E
A&E
A&E
Patient must wait on a trolley in A&E until a bed is found
More patients are turning up at A&E because of the ageing and ailing population and shortages of GP appointments
Dozens and sometimes scores of beds in hospitals are ‘blocked’ by ‘delayed transfer of care’ patients. Cuts to social care make it hard to discharge people once they are well. Older and frail people who end up in hospital become harder to discharge without social care to look after them at home
4 Patient is admitted to a ward with an available bed. But as the wards best suited to their needs are full, they end up on an unsuitable ward
2 Patient finally enters the A&E unit. They are seen by a doctor, treated, and if needed admitted into the hospital
3 The hospital is short of beds, particularly because patients classed as ‘delayed transfers of care’ who are fit to leave cannot be discharged
Dozens and sometimes scores of beds in hospitals are ‘blocked’ by ‘delayed transfer of care’ patients. Cuts to social care make it hard to discharge people once they are well. Older and frail people who end up in hospital become harder to discharge without social care to look after them at home
1 An ambulance carrying a sick patient arrives at A&E. On a busy day there may be a queue of ambulances waitng
Wrong Ward
A&E
A&E
Patient must wait on a trolley in A&E until a bed is found
More patients are turning up at A&E because of the ageing and ailing population and shortages of GP appointments
4 Patient is admitted to a ward with an available bed. But as the wards best suited to their needs are full, they end up on an unsuitable ward
2 Patient finally enters the A&E unit. They are seen by a doctor, treated, and if needed admitted into the hospital
3 The hospital is short of beds, particularly because patients classed as ‘delayed transfers of care’ who are fit to leave cannot be discharged
1 An ambulance carrying a sick patient arrives at A&E. On a busy day there may be a queue of ambulances waitng
Wrong Ward
A&E
A&E