Patients urged to help prevent bed blockages

Local health bodies have said co-operation of patients and their families/carers on discharge is essential to help free up beds “during this extremely challenging time”.

NI Health and Social Care (HSC) is sending out an urgent request to patients and families that if someone is deemed medically fit by the consultant/ senior doctor to go home, they and their families should ensure there are arrangements in place for them to be picked up promptly on the day of discharge.

The HSC said that if patients are deemed medically fit to go home and are waiting on a care home placement, HSC Trust staff will allocate the first place that is available, which “may not necessarily be your first choice but it is important to note that HSC Trusts will work closely with you to move your family member to your first choice at a later date”.

In other cases, they added, if there is a delay in sourcing a new or additional home care, a patient may be discharged to await these elements of their care package, and greater family support may be required until the home care package is finalised.

Referring to the pressures in local hospitals, NI Health Minister Robin Swann said: “Hospital beds are for those who require treatment that can only be delivered in an acute setting. At this time, hospital beds are an extremely precious resource that must be kept available for those who need them.

“When hospital treatment is complete, patients should move immediately to a more appropriate environment. In many cases this will be their own home, supported by family and friends until the full package of community care required is available to them.

“In other cases, this will be to a care home. At times, it is likely that it will not be possible to place a patient in their first choice of care home immediately and an interim placement may be required until the first choice becomes available.

“This is also in patients’ best interests. While our hospital staff will do everything possible to maintain strict infection prevention and control measures, there is inevitably an increased risk of infection if remaining in hospital any longer than necessary.

“I am asking the public to put faith in the decisions of our frontline, highly trained staff, and to help us to ensure that those who really need acute treatment can receive it.”

Brendan Whittle, Assistant Director of Social Care and Children with the HSC Board said: “Everyone is aware that HSC is currently under huge strain with all the ongoing daily media reports. We continue to need your support. To help us, we are asking that patients do not remain in hospital any longer than necessary. We also need families to provide transport to transfer your loved ones from the hospital in a timely manner when required.

“We are in very challenging times and the days and weeks ahead project even further burdens on our HSC, so we are asking you to help us so we can help others who are very ill and need a hospital bed.”