Families frustrate board bid to free up hospital beds

THE Southern Health Board is taking legal advice on how to deal with families who don’t want their relatives discharged from hospital, thereby preventing other patients from getting beds.

Up to 7,920 bed days have been lost this year because elderly patients who are deemed medically fit have not been discharged at Cork University Hospital (CUH).

CUH general manager Tony McNamara said the real difficulty occurred when families frustrated the pursuit of other post acute care options.