The NHS has no choice but to delay the discharge of medically fit patients from hospital because they lack the help they need.

Responding the new analysis from the Health Foundation on increasing handover delays contributing to growing ambulance waiting times, Matthew Taylor chief executive of the NHS Confederation said:

“Health leaders will be very concerned but sadly not surprised by this analysis of ambulance waiting times and handover delays.  

“With the government still to clarify how and when the vital £500 million Adult Social Care Discharge Fund will be allocated to help alleviate some of the worst of these bottlenecks, and with the social care sector under such intense strain that the NHS has no choice but to delay the discharge of medically fit patients from hospital because they lack the help they need when they leave, the weeks and months ahead are looking very bleak.

“We would urge the government to immediately release additional funding, to free up hospital beds, reduce A&E overcrowding and ensure as many ambulances as possible are able to get back on the roads to attend as many emergencies as they can as quickly as they can, without this we are headed for a winter crisis the likes of we have not seen for several decades.”