Simon Harris: Cut delayed hospital discharges to tackle overcrowding

Health Minister Simon Harris is “convinced” the way to tackle hospital overcrowding is to reduce the number of delayed discharges.

At yesterday’s meeting of the Joint Committee on Health, the minister said there are 629 patients whose medical care had been completed this week. The patients cannot leave the hospital because other necessary care, support or accommodation has not been provided.

Mr Harris said the number of delayed discharges is still far too high: “It has been higher; it has been lower. It needs to be much lower.”