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Data Provider: Welsh Government Experimental Statistics Pathway of Care Delays by reason for delay and date

The data represent the number of adults occupying an NHS hospital bed, who were 'clinically optimised' ready to return home or move on to the next stage of care, that experienced a delay in their transfer of more than 48 hours beyond the point they were clinically optimised. 'Next stage of care' refers to all destinations outside of NHS hospitals. The figures are a census snapshot of current delays being experienced at the third Wednesday of each month across Wales. They do not reflect the total number of delays that occurred over the month.

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[Collapse]Local authority of residence[Filtered]
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Local authority of residence 1[Filter]
[Collapse]Local health board provider[Filtered]
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Local health board provider 1[Filter]
Measure1
Date[Filter]
[Collapse]Reason for delay[Filter]
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[Collapse]Reason for delay 1
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Reason for delay 2
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[Collapse]Total1,7501,5261,6251,5701,5521,5981,5511,5671,3611,5481,6391,6611,7121,6261,6521,5411,6191,5961,5461,4731,4351,5021,497
Total[Collapse]Assessment Issues855713716638616622552618486658741755754691676618677638586548563691619
Assessment IssuesAwaiting Social worker allocation2161751621111141026788619513913213078104999498587811511376
Awaiting completion of assessment by social care248202203224193206187232164234257292231237228209251208209191184229189
Awaiting completion of assessment NursingBefore April 2024, this category also included AHP, Medical, and Pharmacy. From April 2024, these are now reported separately.212185220174161182140144129161169166136103961049298101759510091
Awaiting Continuing Healthcare (CHC) Assessment3643332846272824352428302342322548394726241931
Awaiting joint assessment14310798991021051301309714314813416816415312713413612811998150166
Assessment through the language of choice.The data item is not applicable1.The data item is not applicable2.The data item is not applicable.The data item is not applicable.The data item is not applicable.The data item is not applicable.The data item is not applicable1.The data item is not applicable12.The data item is not applicable.The data item is not applicable.The data item is not applicable1.The data item is not applicable.The data item is not applicable.The data item is not applicable121
Awaiting completion of assessment AHP.The data item is not applicable.The data item is not applicable.The data item is not applicable.The data item is not applicable.The data item is not applicable.The data item is not applicable.The data item is not applicable.The data item is not applicable.The data item is not applicable.The data item is not applicable.The data item is not applicable.The data item is not applicable5259473743473043416357
Awaiting completion of assessment Medical.The data item is not applicable.The data item is not applicable.The data item is not applicable.The data item is not applicable.The data item is not applicable.The data item is not applicable.The data item is not applicable.The data item is not applicable.The data item is not applicable.The data item is not applicable.The data item is not applicable.The data item is not applicable22543443142
Awaiting completion of assessment Pharmacy.The data item is not applicable.The data item is not applicable.The data item is not applicable.The data item is not applicable.The data item is not applicable.The data item is not applicable.The data item is not applicable.The data item is not applicable.The data item is not applicable.The data item is not applicable.The data item is not applicable.The data item is not applicable.The data item is not applicable22221.The data item is not applicable4133
Awaiting completion of assessment Psychiatry.The data item is not applicable.The data item is not applicable.The data item is not applicable.The data item is not applicable.The data item is not applicable.The data item is not applicable.The data item is not applicable.The data item is not applicable.The data item is not applicable.The data item is not applicable.The data item is not applicable.The data item is not applicable1049119799383
[Collapse]Transfer related issues4546333574404253505174474137555738384129424144
Transfer related issuesAwaiting transfer to intermediate care bedded facility3737193061293244414365363433485235353625293833
Awaiting community based health provision D/N CPN56312232343132.The data item is not applicable1.The data item is not applicable.The data item is not applicable12111
Awaiting integrated health /social care community provision331046855546742431111627
Awaiting hospital arranged transport.The data item is not applicable.The data item is not applicable1.The data item is not applicable51221.The data item is not applicable.The data item is not applicable3.The data item is not applicable.The data item is not applicable3122316.The data item is not applicable3
[Collapse]Funding issues3640504036393725413643523532463227425448504056
Funding issuesAwaiting funding decision819201712912131117131610121398152122221318
Awaiting funding decision FNC/CHC191525172225179231225282216282017232721222432
Awaiting joint funding decision96562583775834532465636
[Collapse]Home adaptation/equipment issues4129274243645230284238454636313942383443354142
Home adaptation/equipment issuesAwaiting health completion of assessment/provision for equipment2318142524363018182823322526182628221633232623
Awaiting social care completion of assessment/provision for equipment7556798656855353541142211
Awaiting completion of adaptations (DFG's)83644131122544101565634874
Awaiting provision of telecare and /or telehealth equipment112233.The data item is not applicable23122562.The data item is not applicable3221132
Awaiting provision of medicines management dispensing equipment/support22.The data item is not applicable55332.The data item is not applicable2121.The data item is not applicable141421132
[Collapse]Home care related issues192176185192202185211190175168147187188190202162180187201160163129155
Home care related issuesAwaiting start of new home care package179163175178178165202179160154132168174181192157163171187141150116144
Awaiting restart of previous home care package1010761912551389987831213911984
Awaiting Domiciliary care package self-funding333442232124112.The data item is not applicable312.The data item is not applicable.The data item is not applicable21
Awaiting CHC new package of care.The data item is not applicable.The data item is not applicable.The data item is not applicable41623.The data item is not applicable54651.The data item is not applicable22238436
[Collapse]Step down to recover and assess87616370626467686562706010769838489807297788285
Step down to recover and assessAwaiting reablement care package7447575951585557525750448257697369585174566564
Awaiting Community Resource capacity1314611116121113520162512141120222123221721
[Collapse]Disagreements /Legislation99981351179211311914011897104108123139145132136144132130137127127
Disagreements /LegislationPatient / family choice related issues2829363525182636221215211424302136223119301921
Patient/ family dispute CHC outcome1.The data item is not applicable.The data item is not applicable31125331341322232111
Patient / family refusing to participate in financial assessment.The data item is not applicable1.The data item is not applicable.The data item is not applicable.The data item is not applicable.The data item is not applicable11.The data item is not applicable123.The data item is not applicable11.The data item is not applicable12311.The data item is not applicable1
Patient / family refusing to move to next stage of care/ discharge1924292121333230151126263933363527411833233134
Disputes between agencies46854534114410124944635332
Intervention by patient's legal representation.The data item is not applicable14141244442164753233.The data item is not applicable4
Mental Capacity.The data item is not applicable.The data item is not applicable.The data item is not applicable.The data item is not applicable.The data item is not applicable.The data item is not applicable.The data item is not applicable42414634332843353826413632383729
Safeguarding issues impacting discharge arrangements1561064336104819753561012686
Court of Protection delays.The data item is not applicable.The data item is not applicable.The data item is not applicable.The data item is not applicable.The data item is not applicable.The data item is not applicable.The data item is not applicable1212121091620222230212623322829
Mental Capacity / Court of Protection delays32314846335250.The data item is not applicable.The data item is not applicable.The data item is not applicable.The data item is not applicable.The data item is not applicable.The data item is not applicable.The data item is not applicable.The data item is not applicable.The data item is not applicable.The data item is not applicable.The data item is not applicable.The data item is not applicable.The data item is not applicable.The data item is not applicable.The data item is not applicable.The data item is not applicable
[Collapse]Care Home placement arrangements342306348369358413416393352376346343351371350337359357355345305295301
Care Home placement arrangementsAwaiting completion of arrangements prior to placement7975717459646571606557485468694159534754453838
Awaiting Residential care home manager to visit and assess (Standard 3 residential)2416192637502938283741222825193227262924222328
Awaiting Nursing care home manager to visit and assess (Standard 3 residential)4132394035464135243734273128222432362830362622
Awaiting nursing/residential home self-funding841513201716981922191916172017191922151322
Awaiting RH availability6353767355777550464746736370566174665658615756
Awaiting NH availability5954454858525967535542333847455349516860485749
Awaiting EMI residential availability2927333833424540504238424337493237343930212029
Awaiting EMI nursing availability2826334141414849534632363943404832324031253130
Awaiting specialist bed availability8121081214211916171823192121111721161213108
Awaiting return to existing care home placement1.The data item is not applicable1.The data item is not applicable12536.The data item is not applicable23221433.The data item is not applicable4452
Awaiting extra care/supported living availability276878121281114171514111112161320151517
[Collapse]NHS Bed related issues1616161811101311172123172013191810191722111111
NHS Bed related issuesAwaiting Mental Health bed1089963668111010879958910544
Awaiting palliative care specialist bed311112.The data item is not applicable2212.The data item is not applicable11.The data item is not applicable.The data item is not applicable.The data item is not applicable.The data item is not applicable11.The data item is not applicable1.The data item is not applicable
Awaiting palliative care POC.The data item is not applicable112123.The data item is not applicable12312.The data item is not applicable322331213
Awaiting palliative care home222212.The data item is not applicable2211161331427334
Awaiting Learning Disability bed13332141444534442122.The data item is not applicable.The data item is not applicable.The data item is not applicable
Awaiting acute bed.The data item is not applicable1.The data item is not applicable1.The data item is not applicable.The data item is not applicable.The data item is not applicable.The data item is not applicable.The data item is not applicable23.The data item is not applicable.The data item is not applicable.The data item is not applicable.The data item is not applicable.The data item is not applicable.The data item is not applicable3.The data item is not applicable112.The data item is not applicable
[Collapse]Housing Related Issues3741524958484239293753474748456261535451514557
Housing Related IssuesHomeless1211181824171922161615915201416151517155918
No suitable abode2530343134312317132138383228314646383736463639

Metadata

General description

A delayed discharge occurs when a patient who is clinically ready for discharge cannot leave hospital because the necessary ongoing care and support or suitable accommodation for them is not yet accessible.
The data represent the number of adults occupying an NHS hospital bed, who were 'clinically optimised' ready to return home or move on to the next stage of care, that experienced a delay in their transfer of more than 48 hours beyond the point they were clinically optimised. 'Next stage of care' refers to all destinations outside of NHS hospitals.
The figures are a census snapshot of current delays being experienced on a specific day in each month across Wales. They do not reflect the total number of delays that occurred over the month.
The data are used to monitor the number of delays, and the reasons for delays, assisting NHS and Local Authority partners to develop regional plans with a focus on outcome based actions to reduce discharge delays across the health system.


Data collection and calculation

Data are provided by Local Health Boards and validated jointly with Local Authority partners.
The Pathway of Care Delays is a snapshot census that identifies people with a discharge delay and reason at a given point each month. Health Boards are required to extract the data from local systems on a census day in each month, and validate the delays with Local Authority partners. Subsequently, data records are entered via a web-based tool and submitted to NHS Wales.


Frequency of publication

Monthly

Data reference periods

April 2023 onwards

Revisions information

Data are subject to revision

Title

Pathway of Care Delays

Last update

20/03/2025 20/03/2025

Next update

24/04/2025

Publishing organisation

Welsh Government

Source 1

Pathways of Care Delays, NHS Delivery Unit

Contact email

stats.healthinfo@gov.wales

Designation

Experimental statistics

Lowest level of geographical disaggregation

Local authorities

Geographical coverage

Local health boards

Languages covered

English and Welsh

Data licensing

You may use and re-use this data free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government License - see http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence

Keywords

Discharge Discharges

Statistical quality

Data are provided by Local Health Boards and validated jointly with Local Authority partners.
The Pathway of Care Delays is a snapshot census that identifies people with a discharge delay and reason at a given point each month. Health Boards are required to extract the data from local systems on a census day in each month, and validate the delays with Local Authority partners. Subsequently, data records are entered via a web-based tool and submitted to NHS Wales.
At the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Welsh Government suspended delayed transfers of care (DTOC) reporting requirements, along with many other datasets. The Welsh Government introduced the COVID-19 Discharge Requirements, which included an updated discharge process with increased focus on rehabilitation and reablement to improve patient flow and support better outcomes. From July 2020, delayed discharge data were collected as management information on a weekly basis. These data were not formally validated.
Subsequently a formal replacement, Pathways of Care Delays (POCD) has been developed and tested to replace DTOC. This system has now been rolled out across all Local Health Boards & Local Authorities and the first fully validated and quality assured data are available from april 2023.
Welsh Government discharge guidance (COVID-19 Discharge Requirements) sets out the default approach to hospital discharges – the Discharge to Recover then Assess (D2RA) pathways (or 'recovery pathways').
The D2RA approach is based on evidence of better outcomes for people who transfer as soon as possible to their usual residence or other suitable care setting for rehabilitation or reablement prior to assessments for longer term care. A D2RA pathway (or recovery pathway) could be in a person’s own home, in a community hospital or in an alternative step-down setting.