Nearly six thousand beds were blocked over a four week period this winter in NHS Tayside, Fife and Forth Valley by patients healthy enough to return home, according to data uncovered by BBC Scotland.
Over a four-week period 5896 beds were blocked in Tayside, Fife and Forth Valley. These statistics come in the wake of the Scottish government announcing £100m in funding to tackle the issue.
Bed blocking, or "delayed discharge", is when a patient is judged clinically ready to go home but continues to occupy a hospital bed while plans are made for appropriate follow-up care.
Commenting Mid-Scotland and Fife MSP Murdo Fraser said:
“These statistics show that the problem of delayed discharges is only getting worse in Fife, Perth and Kinross, Clackmannanshire and Stirling.
“All four local authority areas experienced a significant number of bed days lost due to delayed discharges over the Christmas period.
“Being made to stay in hospital because you have no suitable accommodation can be a distressing and frustrating experience and one that also places a huge strain on hospital managers.
“Our health service is facing a number of challenges and the problem of hospital bed shortages is being exacerbated by delayed discharges. The Scottish Government must act now to prevent the situation getting out of control.”