Delayed Discharges
What's New
- Figures from the latest census (January 2012) are presented in Publications.
- Information from censuses prior to January 2011 are presented in Previous Publications
About Delayed Discharges
Information on delayed discharges has been collected by ISD since September 2000 by means of a national census, undertaken quarterly. The Delayed Discharge publication (formerly Patients Ready for Discharge) has information on the numbers of patients ready for discharge at the census point, the reasons for delay and duration of delay, shown by NHS Board and by Partnership.
Background information on the census, along with the most recent guidance cam be found in Guidelines.
A brief history of the introduction of national data collection on Delayed Discharges is presented below.
Steering Group
The National Advisory Group on Delayed Discharges and Continuing Care Information (NAGoDDCCi) (formerly NAGoDDi, EMAWG) provides expert support, in particular overseeing developments, introducing change (as required) and through learning events gauge opinion/feedback. The remit gives fuller details of the work of the group 
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Scottish Government Links
Key documents and policies on Delayed Discharges are published by the Scottish Government Website. The Delayed Discharge Learning Network contains a good practice resource and information about events.
The Delayed Discharge Team at the Scottish Government is part of the Partnership Improvement and Outcomes Division and it aims to strengthen the focus on partnership working and improving the Directorate's ability to support Health and Social Care Partnerships. The Joint Improvement Team (JIT) is part of this Division. One of the key action areas for the JIT is to support service developments and improvements in the area of Delayed Discharges.
Brief History
In September 1997, Information & Statistics Division (ISD) issued a consultation letter with a proposed national standard definition of a delayed discharge and qualification criteria throughout NHSScotland and to Directors of Social Work. This was in response to the Scottish Executive Health Department (SEHD) raising the issue that there was a need for a precise national definition of a delayed discharge, since Health Boards, NHS Trusts and Local Authorities were producing different figures.
An outcome of that consultation was the establishment of a Multi-agency Working Group (MAWG) to develop a meaningful national standard definition of a delayed discharge. Its aim was to develop data items which were truly reflective of multidisciplinary discharge processes and provide information on delayed discharges of benefit to all involved agencies, including key dates and reasons for delay in discharge. The group comprised representatives from the NHS Trusts, Health Boards, the Scottish Executive, the Information and Statistics Division and Social Work Departments.
During October and November 1998 the draft definitions agreed by the MAWG were subject to a data recording trial conducted collaboratively between a number of NHS Trusts and four local authorities in Scotland. In light of the trial findings and discussions by the MAWG and between ISD, the Social Work Services Group and the SEHD it was agreed to invite all Scottish NHS Trusts in collaboration with their local authority partners to embark upon a data recording trial during 1999/2000 using the MAWG definitions.
National data on delayed discharges was first published in December 2000 and included data from the September 2000 census (Previous Publications).
