Diane Abbott MP, Shadow Secretary of State for Health, responding to newly released figures that put the number of elderly people needlessly occupying hospital beds at six thousand each month, said:

“Ministers must act urgently. The numbers of elderly people being trapped on hospital wards when they are ready to leave has risen despite ministerial claims they were dealing with the problem. It was revealed yesterday that it is costing the taxpayer £6 billion a year.

“Delayed discharge means that beds aren’t available in time for new patients coming in, this is putting increased pressure on already overstretched A&E departments. If beds are not available sick patients have to spend hours on trolleys unnecessarily.

“This crisis partly reflects the underfunding of the NHS but is also a result of the brutal cuts to local government that have decimated social care services.

“It is unacceptable for elderly people to have to wait in hospital for weeks on end because they can’t get the care they deserve in their community. It’s upsetting for them and for their families and also undermines their chances of recovery.

“This is a crisis and the government must act now. They must look both at the levels of funding available for the NHS but also the funding available to local authorities to provide social care services.”