Background

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.

Multi-agency Working Group
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.

Date Recording Trials
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.