Delayed Discharge Cost - FOI Response Register

In 2022/23 and 2023/24 so far.

1. What were the costs associated with delayed discharge in this health board?

£0

2. What is the cost per day of delayed discharge in this health board?

£0

3. What is the cost per bed of delayed discharge in this health board?

£0

4. How many days in total have people been delayed discharge?

For question 4, in accordance with FOISA s 16(1), NHS Shetland confirms that it holds the information requested but that it is exempt from disclosure under FOISA s 25(1) as the information requested is accessible without submitting a request under FOISA s 1(1).

Information you have requested on number of individual who have been subject to a delayed discharge is routinely published on Public Health Scotland website at: https://publichealthscotland.scot/our-areas-of-work/social-and-community-care/delayed-discharges/publications/ and also in the open access tool they provide https://www.opendata.nhs.scot/dataset/delayed-discharges-in-nhsscotland

With respect to question 1 to 3 Health Board unique cost incurred as a result of a delayed discharges is not routinely calculated. The NHS Scotland published cost data calculation is based upon in-patient stay average cost.

If an individual is subject to a delayed discharge the marginal costs that may be avoided are minimal. These primary being food, laundry and some other domestic costs that are not calculated routinely on an individual patient basis.

Other costs are fixed, e.g. non-domestic rates, and not directly affected by patient activity and staff establishment in the ward is unlikely to have been different due to patient fit for discharge.

The primary issue with a delayed discharge is the opportunity cost incurred if that prevents a different patient being able to access their elective treatment.