Delayed discharges from Galway hospitals costing millions

Date Published: 22-Apr-2013

Patients who occupy hospital beds in Galway public hospitals, despite being medically fit to be discharged, are costing more than four million euro a year.

According to Home and Community Care Ireland, the latest figures show that 15 patients occuping beds at Portiunucla Hospital Ballinasloe and University Hospital Galway are fit to be discharged.

The HSE estimates the cost of an overnight hospital stay at around 900 euro.

The latest HSE report shows that there are 658 delayed discharges around the country with 54 patients waiting 6 months or more to be discharged.

According to the HCCI, 90 percent of these are elderly patients for whom alternative arrangements have not been put in place.

Board member for Home and Community Care Ireland, Ed Murphy says it’s only an administrative delay stopping people from leaving hospital.