Post Pulse Series: A Life-Threatening Wait

This fourth instalment of our Post-Pulse series explores the issue of delayed hospital charges in England.

Although the NHS released a statement that waiting lists have been reduced to record numbers in 2024 which is true, this paints a somewhat false picture over the level of reduction given the total delayed discharges on 30th November 2023 were 13,172 patients who no longer meet criteria to reside and were not discharged vs the same day in 2024totalling 12,803, a 2% reduction of just 369patients. January 31st 2024 is a fare lower reduction of just 16 patients at 13,902 vs the same day in 2025 of 13,886. This indicates a significant backlog, despite claims from the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) regarding increased discharges. Patients are still stuck in hospitals unnecessarily, occupying expensive beds that cost two to three times more than a residential care setting.

As patients who are deemed medically fit to leave hospital are not discharged due to constrained out-of-hospital care, this directly increases the time they remain in the hospital, decreasing their quality of life and likelihood to develop hospital-associated deconditioning. There is extensive research into high levels of anxiety and depressive signs manifesting in maladaptive cognitive responses, and, in turn, reduced physical activity, which exacerbates this cycle of worsening of health among older people specifically and the reduced ability to do everyday tasks – which may result in being unable to return home, or upon doing so, will require an enhanced package of care.

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