The cost of delayed discharges within the National Health Service (NHS) has reached £2.7 billion, marking a 7.5% increase compared to the previous year, according to a new report by the King’s Fund. At present, approximately one in ten hospital beds are occupied by patients who are medically fit to leave but remain in hospital due to delays in securing appropriate social care arrangements.

This situation stems from challenges in organizing care in patients’ own homes, combined with shortages in care home capacity and inadequate funding. These delays contribute to capacity pressures in hospitals, often resulting in patients being treated in corridors while awaiting bed availability, a practice known as “corridor care.”

Data shows that last year, the NHS recorded an average of nearly 13,000 delayed discharges each day, an increase of 300 from the 2024-25 average. Additionally, the cost of a hospital bed day has risen to £562, up from £536 the previous year, significantly impacting NHS resources.

Danielle Jefferies, representing the King’s Fund, emphasized the need for more decisive government action, calling for stronger initiatives to address obesity and for shifting care out of hospital settings through enhanced community care services.

In response, the Department of Health and Social Care highlighted ongoing efforts to support adult social care, citing an injection of over £4.6 billion in additional funding. The department also pointed to the largest investment in hospices made in a generation as part of its broader healthcare strategy.

Meanwhile, Baroness Louise Casey has been appointed to lead a commission examining the funding of adult social care in England, aiming to develop sustainable solutions for the sector amid increasing demand and complexity.

The report underscores the interconnectedness of hospital and social care services, stressing that delays in discharge not only affect patient outcomes but also place additional strain on NHS capacity and finances.