Written question asked by Lord Warner (Crossbench) on Tuesday, 19 May 2020, in the House of Lords. It was due for an answer on Wednesday, 3 June 2020. It was answered by Lord Bethell (Conservative) on Monday, 15 June 2020 on behalf of the Department of Health and Social Care.
Coronavirus: Hospital Beds
- Question
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To ask Her Majesty's Government (1) what instructions were given to NHS acute hospital trusts on, or around, 15 March about discharging patients to make beds available for COVID-19 patients; (2) how many beds in total the NHS in England was trying to make available; (3) which organisation issued the instructions; (4) following these instructions, (a) what proportion of patients were discharged to nursing or care homes, and (b) what proportion of those patients were tested for COVID-19 before discharge; and (5) what advance information and guidance was given to care homes about this mass discharge from acute hospitals.
- Answer
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On 19 March 2020, the Department and the National Health Service co-published COVID-19 Hospital Discharge Service Requirements, setting out guidance on supporting the safe discharge of patients who no longer need acute care. A copy of this guidance is attached.
The guidance also sets out the steps that care providers should be taking and we provided £1.3 billion to support the process. We have provided advice to care homes throughout the pandemic in response to the latest conditions and emerging evidence.
The COVID-19 hospital discharge service requirements were expected to help free up 15,000 hospital beds across England.
On 2 June, NHS England published an analysis on discharges to care homes. This data was not previously available. The data showed that the proportion of people discharged to care homes, nursing homes and hospices between 15 March and 16 April was 2.8%.
A small number of people who have tested positive for COVID-19 may be discharged from the NHS within the 14-day period from the onset of COVID-19 symptoms and also require ongoing social care. If a care home provider does not feel they can provide the appropriate care for these individuals, the individual’s local authority should secure alternative appropriate accommodation and care for the remainder of the required isolation period.
Secondary information
- Type
- Written question
- Reference
- HL4726
- Session
- 2019-21
- Attachment
- COVID19 Hospital Discharge Service Requirements
- Related items
- Subjects
- Care homes Discharges Hospital beds Screening Coronavirus
- Link
- View this Written question on www.parliament.uk
Librarians' tools
- Timestamp
- 2022-01-18 18:40:20 +0000
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