James Thompson explores the data behind the headlines, looking at delayed transfers of care in the NHS and in social care. Focusing on the numbers and survey results from The King's Fund's tenth quarterly monitoring report, he explains why we once again find delayed transfers under the spotlight.

1. Delayed transfers:
Beyond the
headlines
James Thompson
Data Analyst, The King’s Fund

2. › Why delayed transfers?
› Patients waiting
› Hospital flow
› What data is available? *Health warning*
› Number of patients delayed – monthly census
› Number of days delayed – total counted over whole
month

3. What the data shows
Delayed transfers: Patients and days delayed
Data source: Acute and non–
acute delayed transfers of care,
patient snapshot and total days
delayed, 2013/14
http://www.england.nhs.uk/stat
istics/statistical-workareas/delayed-transfers-ofcare/delayed-transfers-of-caredata-2013-14/

4. What NHS managers are saying
Cuts to local authority
spending had impact
on service in last year
Delayed discharges
have increased
Source: NHS Confederation Papering over the cracks: the impact of social care funding on
the NHS
http://www.nhsconfed.org/Publications/Documents/papering-over-cracks.pdf

5. What NHS managers are saying

6. What do we know about these
delayed patients?
Data source: Acute and non–acute delayed transfers of care, patient
snapshot and total days delayed, 2013/14
http://www.england.nhs.uk/statistics/statistical-work-areas/delayedtransfers-of-care/delayed-transfers-of-care-data-2013-14/

7. What is the impact on the system?
Daily hospital bed occupancy rate, general and acute beds, England
Data Source: Winter pressures daily situation reports, 2013/14 data
http://www.england.nhs.uk/statistics/statistical-work-areas/winter-daily-sitreps/winterpressures-daily-sitrep-2013-14-data-2/

8. What is the impact on the system?

9. A social care issue?
Total days delayed by responsible organisation
Data source: Acute and non–acute delayed transfers of care, total days delayed, 2013/14
http://www.england.nhs.uk/statistics/statistical-work-areas/delayed-transfers-ofcare/delayed-transfers-of-care-data-2013-14

10. A social care issue?
Reasons for delayed transfer of care
Attributable to
NHS
A. Awaiting completion of assessment
B. Awaiting public funding
C. Awaiting further non-acute (including
community and mental health) NHS care
(including intermediate care,
rehabilitation services etc)
D i). Awaiting residential home placement
or availability
D ii). Awaiting nursing home placement or
availability
E. Awaiting care package in own home
F. Awaiting community equipment and
adaptations
G. Patient or Family choice
H. Disputes
I. Housing – patients not covered by NHS
and Community Care Act
Attributable to
Social Care
Attributable to
both
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Source: NHS England, Monthly delayed transfer of
care SitReps, Definitions and guidance
http://www.england.nhs.uk/statistics/statisticalwork-areas/delayed-transfers-of-care/

11. A social care issue?
Data source: Delayed transfers of care statistics for England
2012/13, NHS England
http://www.england.nhs.uk/statistics/wpcontent/uploads/sites/2/2013/04/Annex-3-Annual-report2012-13.pdf

12. In conclusion
›
NHS professionals versus official statistics
› still unclear
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What to do with the numbers?
› echo Health Select Committees call for data review
›
Can we delay any longer?
›
www.kingsfund.org.uk/qmr