HC Deb 13 February 2002 vol 380 c480W
Dr. Fox

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the rate of delayed discharge was for(a) patients aged over 75 years in March 1997 and (b) all patients in the quarter end December 2001. [33498]

Jacqui Smith

In March 1997 the rate of delayed discharge (on any one day the percentage of patients over 75 years old occupying an acute hospital bed whose discharge is delayed) was 13 per cent. The most recent data available are for September 2001 when the equivalent rate for patients over 75 was 12 per cent. and for patients of all ages 6.6 per cent.