Hospitals turned away more than half a million A&E patients last year as a result of bed shortages, new research suggests.
This, researchers say, seems to have led hospitals to raise admission thresholds and turn away patients who might previously have been admitted.
"Quite rightly we try to maximise the use of those pathways such as ambulatory care, same-day emergency care units or care by community teams. But clinicians are forced to lower the threshold at which they would normally think it's safe to discharge patients and put them into those alternative pathways."
"What this amounts to is an increased degree of rationing. And we don't yet know what the consequences are, but you'd think that a rationing of care would lead to harmful consequences for patients." One in five of those delayed discharges were waiting for care home placements , while almost half were waiting for rehabilitation beds or for the staff and equipment that would enable them to be cared for at home .
And it’s older age groups who are particularly likely to need support after discharge, whether at home or in a care or rehabilitation facility.
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