Delayed discharges rise continues

The number of delayed discharges across the HSE stood at 746 at the end of September, confirming again the upward trend in figures since January. The increasing numbers plateaued in June due to lower emergency admissions, but this upward trend may continue to year end, reducing capacity for higher emergency department admissions over the winter period, the HSE warned in its latest Performance Assurance Report. The number of delayed discharges has increased by 16.7 per cent this year compared to 2013. As a result, some hospitals had opened additional beds to manage these patients, the HSE said. An initiative took…