More than 1,900 still stuck in hospital

Responding to new Public Health Scotland figures which showed 1,910 people were stuck in hospital in March due to their discharge being delayed, amongst the highest figures for monthly delayed discharges on record, Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Alex Cole-Hamilton MSP said:

“Whilst the SNP were distracted by internal division and fracture, far too many people were stuck in hospital. People should never have to wait weeks or months in hospital for a care home place or help to return home.

“The SNP’s ill-fated centralisation of social care will do nothing to ease pressures. This billion-pound bureaucracy must be scrapped, not salvaged- that must be one of John Swinney’s first acts as First Minister.

“Scottish Liberal Democrats would devote that money to frontline services and staff instead, driving up the quality of care and rewarding staff with better pay and conditions.”