More patients are getting home from hospital sooner thanks to improvements in care transitions.
South Lanarkshire University Health and Social Care Partnership (SLUHSCP) has reported one of its strongest performances yet in reducing delayed discharges, easing patient flow and freeing up hospital beds for those in urgent need.
At this week’s South Lanarkshire Integration Joint Board (IJB) meeting, members heard that the progress reflects close teamwork across health and social care services, faster patient recovery and improved capacity in acute care settings.
In November 2025, the area recorded an average of 32.1 delayed discharges per 100,000 adults, beating the national target of 34.6.
Between April and October 2025, this improvement freed up more than 2000 bed days, enabling faster care for other patients.
Margaret Walker, chair of 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 a continued commitment to the principles of Scotland’s national Discharge Without Delay programme will be essential due to the challenges facing health and social care services.
Lesley McDonald, vice chair of the IJB, said: "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."
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Hospital-based social work teams are working closely with clinical colleagues to ensure safe and timely transitions for patients with complex care requirements.
Professor Soumen Sengupta, chief officer for health and social care in South Lanarkshire, said: "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."
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