26th February, 2015

BED BLOCKAGE AT IRH

OVER FOUR HUNDRED beds were unavailable for patients at the IRH and the Larkfield unit between mid-December and early January of this year new figures reveal. 

Greenock and Inverclyde MSP Duncan McNeil who has previously raised concerns about capacity at the hospital said:

“It’s of real concern that over 400 beds were blocked during this period. Medical professionals’ such as the British Medical Association have said that bed blocking is one of the hidden causes of long waits at Accident and Emergency and can also lead to vulnerable and elderly patients being moved wards hampering their care.”

“Like many hospitals throughout Scotland the IRH appears to be facing a real challenge with regard to patient flow. The shortage of beds is symptomatic of a wider problem across Scotland which is primarily to do with the fact that there is a lack of appropriate facilities for elderly people to be cared for within the community.” 

“This means that in turn many are forced to wait in hospital until a space frees up. To help address the problem we need to ensure that the social care sector is properly funded to help shift the balance of care into the community.”