§ Brian CotterTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what the average delayed hospital discharge time was for(a) England and (b) the Weston Area Health NHS Trust in each year since 1997. [167532]
§ Dr. LadymanThe Department does not collect data on the average length of delays. However, data is collected on length of delays, broken down into four time bands. Due to reductions in the overall number of delayed discharges and the proportion of delays which exceed 28 days, the number of people who have been delayed for over 28 days is now less than 20 per cent. of the recorded over 2,790 in September 2001 to under 550 in December 2003.
Percentages Quarter/ year
Delays less than 8 days
Delays between 8
14 days
Delays between
14–28 days
Delays more than
28 days
2001–02 Quarter 2 22.7 17.9 19.8 39.5 Quarter 3 24.3 16.6 19.2 39.9 Quarter 4 23.9 19.5 20.6 36.0 2002–03 Quarter 1 26.5 18.1 20.6 34.8 Quarter 2 27.6 18.4 19.8 34.2 Quarter 3 30.0 18.8 20.5 30.7 Quarter 4 36.1 20.2 17.4 26.3 2003–04 Quarter 1 37.6 20.0 19.2 23.3 Quarter 2 35.5 18.6 19.7 26.3 Quarter 3 49.2 18.0 15.9 17.0