HUNDREDS of hospital patients across Glasgow have complained about their discharge from hospitals in the past five years.

New figures obtained by Scottish Labour via Freedom of Information request show that more than 800 complaints were lodged against NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde since 2014/15 over the issues.

A total of 813 people lodged grievances relating to their discharge from hospitals in the area, with more than half, 456, upheld or partially upheld.

Delays to hospital discharge often arise because a social care package to allow someone to safely return home or community based care is not in place.

At the census point in each month of 2019/20 so far, around three-quarters of delays have been due to health and social care reasons.

Now, Scottish Labour have said social care shortages are leaving people in hospitals longer than they should be.

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The party’s health spokesperson, Monica Lennon MSP, said: “Sadly, social care delays continue to stop people from leaving hospital and returning safely to their own homes or a community setting.

“The Scottish Government has broad support for its plans to integrate health and social care services but it needs to step up and deliver.

“People should not be stuck in hospital because of social care shortages.

“Scottish Labour is committed to introducing a Scottish Care Service to improve the working conditions for social care staff, reduce waiting times, and to help our NHS.”

Figures from ISD for 2018/19 confirmed a 6 per cent year-on-year increase in the number of bed days lost due to delayed discharge.

Across the country 1,700 complaints have been made to health boards about discharge from hospitals since 2014/15.

Of these, 1,007 complaints have been either fully or partially upheld – equivalent to almost 6 out of 10 of all discharge-related complaints.

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After Greater Glasgow and Clyde, Lanarkshire and Lothians were the only other boards to have more than 100 complaints, with 432 and 266 respectively.

An NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde spokeswoman said: “Our staff work hard to ensure patients in our hospitals are discharged as soon as they are medically fit to leave.

“We work with our local authority partners on a range of successful initiatives has made significant improvements on delayed discharge numbers over the last few years.

“Where a person’s discharge from hospital is delayed our staff strive to provide the highest standards of care while they remain with us.

“A number of these patients will be waiting for a suitable care package in the community or are very frail people waiting to go home or go to a care setting in their final days.”