Three large residential aged care facilities would need to be built to accommodate all the older patients stuck in NSW hospitals ready to be discharged, but unable to leave due to the lack of aged care beds.
"As of 12 June 2024, there were 429 patients in NSW public hospitals who had exceeded their estimated date of discharge while waiting for an aged care facility placement," a NSW Health spokesperson told The SOURCE.
"Delays in access to aged care placements are a significant barrier to discharge from hospitals which impacts patient flow."
The Weekly SOURCE reported last Thursday on a $480.7 million package announced by NSW Health and included in this week's 2024-25 Budget, aimed at easing pressure on hospital emergency departments, in part by helping those who need it into residential aged care.
The situation is similar in other states. Last month, the South Australian Government announced a $56 million package to unplug the aged care bed blockages that had 190 South Australians in hospital when they should be in residential aged care.
