NHS winter pressures in England 2017/18

This briefing from the House of Commons Library  summarises the current data and trends on winter pressures in the NHS, including ambulance handover delays, bed occupancy, norovirus bed closures, and accident and emergency diverts.

High impact change model: managing transfers of care

This change model, developed by the Local Government Association with the Association of Directors of Adult Social Services, outlines a practical approach to managing patient flow and hospital discharge. It identifies eight system changes that will have the greatest impact on reducing delayed discharge. The resource supplements the model by bringing together examples of work being undertaken across the country, for each of the eight system changes.

Delayed transfers of care: a quick guide

King's Fund briefing on why delayed transfers of care occur, and their impact on the wider health system.

Hampshire Hospitals reduce delayed discharges

Hampshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust shares the processes it put in place to speed up discharges, and how their measures have been successfully implemented.

Combined Performance Summary - August 2017

This publication from NHS England summarises the data around NHS performance for August 2017. It contains a summary of the monthly performance statistics on:

• NHS 111
• ambulance quality indicators
• A&E attendances and emergency admissions
• waiting times for diagnostic tests, referral to treatment for consultant-led elective care and cancer services;
• delayed transfers of care; and
• early intervention in psychosis

Plans to improve NHS Continuing Healthcare assessment processes

This letter, from NHS England, outlines revised guidance in relation to NHS Continuing Healthcare assessments in order to promote a reduction in delayed transfers of care.

The reduction in Delayed Transfers of Care (DTOCs) is a key priority for the NHS, with delays needing to reduce from approximately 6,428 per day to 4,080 per day in order to release the needed bed capacity within health systems. It is estimated that resolution of the factors causing delays due to NHS CHC assessment could help free up to a quarter of the total number of beds the NHS is required to release

Mental health patients stranded in units for years

Mental health patients across the UK are spending years stranded in acute units awaiting discharge, figures show.

Over the past two years, at least 91 patients have waited more than a year to be discharged, with at least seven patients waiting more than two years.

At least 320 patients had to wait at least 100 days to be discharged, BBC Freedom of Information requests show.

Experts say a lack of suitable accommodation and wrangling over budgets are to blame for the delays.

Combined Performance Summary - May 2017

This publication from NHS England summarises the data around NHS performance for May 2017.

It contains a summary of the monthly performance statistics on:

• NHS 111
• ambulance quality indicators
• A&E attendances and emergency admissions
• waiting times for diagnostic tests, referral to treatment for consultant-led elective care and cancer services;
• delayed transfers of care; and
• early intervention in psychosis

Quarterly performance of the NHS provider sector: quarter 4 2016/17

The NHS provider sector's deficit has been cut by two-thirds in the financial year just ended – from £2.4 billion in 2015/16 to £791 million in 2016/17.

These figures represent an improvement of £1.7 billion, driven by savings of over £3.1 billion with over £700 million saved on locum and agency use in the year.

This is against a backdrop of rising demand and a significant increase in delayed transfers of care. Our analysis shows that providers experienced a 24.5% increase in delayed days in 2016/17 compared to 2015/16.

Remote health management: reducing bed blocking in the NHS

Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE) - 
This report highlights the potential for remote monitoring technology to ease delayed discharges in the NHS and estimates that the widespread implementation of digital health could have already saved the NHS over £1 billion over the last five years. The report calls for the Department of Health to create a standardised remote health management network by 2020 which would enable acute and social care providers to have access to patient data and remote monitoring.

• Report

Number of ambulance diverts from A&E doubled this winter

Analysis finds A&E units closed to ambulances almost 500 times in just three months this winter.

Urgent response time targets only met in six out of last 49 months

The number of times hospital A&E units in England have had to close their doors to ambulances has almost doubled this winter compared with the previous three, new research from the Nuffield Trust health think-tank reveals. The authors say that the extra time paramedics are having to spend on the road as a result is a factor in the service’s inability to meet its targets for urgent requests for an ambulance.

Red2Green approach

Mark Cubbon discusses how the Red2Green approach is helping reduce unnecessary delays for patients across the Midlands and East of England and why it's gaining momentum on social media.

Rapid improvement guide: trusted assessors

Use this guide to learn how adopting a trusted assessor model can improve the experience for the patient and reduce delayed transfers of care.

New NHS target aims to improve experience of leaving hospital

The Government has published what it wants the NHS to deliver over the next 12 months.

Included in the updated 2017/18 mandate is a new target to reduce to 3.5% the number of instances where a patient is ready to leave hospital for home, or another service, but is unable to do so.

Combined Performance Summary - January 2017

Monthly performance statistics for January 2017, covering:

• NHS 111
• ambulance quality indicators
• A&E attendances and emergency admissions
• waiting times for diagnostic tests, referral to treatment for consultant-led elective care and cancer services; 
• delayed transfers of care; and 
• early intervention in psychosis

Combined Performance Summary - December 2016

Monthly performance statistics for December 2016, covering:

• NHS 111
• ambulance quality indicators
• A&E attendances and emergency admissions
• waiting times for diagnostic tests, referral to treatment for consultant-led elective care and cancer services;
• delayed transfers of care; and
• early intervention in psychosis

Patients coming to harm due to delays in treatment and follow-up appointments

The Royal College of Ophthalmologists has published a surveillance report of patients coming to harm due to delays in treatment and follow-up appointments.  The research, conducted through the British Ophthalmological Surveillance Unit (BOSU), found patients suffering permanent and severe visual loss due to health service initiated delays.