South Lanarkshire University Health and Social Care Partnership (SLUHSCP) has achieved one of its strongest performances in reducing delayed discharges, helping more people return home or to the right care setting sooner.
At this week’s meeting, members of the South Lanarkshire Integration Joint Board (IJB) heard how, over the past 12 months, local staff and services supported faster recovery for patients and freed capacity for those who need acute care most.
In November 2025, South Lanarkshire recorded an average of 32.1 delayed discharges per 100,000 adults aged 18 years and over, better than the national target of 34.6. Between April and October 2025, improved delayed discharge performance opened up over 2,000 bed days, enabling quicker care for other patients.
Councillor Margaret Walker, Chair of the South Lanarkshire IJB, said: “Reducing delayed discharge is about people, not just numbers. A well‑planned discharge helps patients get back to their own home, routines and support networks sooner and that is better for their health and wellbeing.
“Across Scotland, IJBs continue to navigate significant challenges – from rising demand and financial pressures to workforce constraints. We remain committed to planning with foresight and acting with diligence to maximise the impact of the resources available for the benefit of local people.”
While delayed discharge performance has been strong, the IJB noted that given the challenges facing health and social care services, an ongoing commitment to the principles of Scotland’s national Discharge Without Delay programme will be critical.
Lesley McDonald, Vice Chair of the South Lanarkshire IJB, added: “Our focus is simple: making sure people get the right care, in the right place, at the right time. Importantly, delayed discharge is only one factor in how busy our hospitals are.
“In order that our hospitals can care for those who need it most when they need it, we need to continue to support our staff in our hospitals and in our communities to consistently implement Discharge Without Delay to help reduce the length of stay for all of our patients.”
The IJB also heard how hospital-based social work teams are working alongside clinical colleagues to plan safe and timely transitions for those patients with particularly complex care needs.
Professor Soumen Sengupta, Chief Officer for Health and Social Care in South Lanarkshire, said: “For all the positive progress made, we fully recognise the frustrations of those who find themselves in hospital longer than they, their families, or we would wish. For many people, getting home quickly matters, so they can live as independently as they can, just as they did before admission.
“I recently spent time with our social work team at University Hospital Hairmyres and was hugely impressed by their commitment to securing the right care and support for individuals and enabling people to get home quickly, so that they return to living their lives as soon as possible.
“My sincere thanks to all our staff and partners for everything they do and for embracing the changes we are driving forward. I also want to thank our community for the support they show our teams at this time of year.”
