THE deputy chief executive of York Hospital has said he would like to see fewer patients delayed in hospitals amid fears of bed-blocking.

His comments come as members of the Labour group on City of York Council highlighted a huge rise in the number of delayed hospital discharges since the home care service was privatised by the council in 2006. Labour members now fear a similar rise in what is known as bed-blocking, following the forthcoming tendering of a rehabilitation service, which provides care for elderly hospital patients in their own homes.

Mike Proctor, deputy chief executive of York Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, said: “Clearly we would like to see fewer patients delayed in hospital beds, whatever the reason.

“City of York Council has been working hard to improve the situation, and we would hope to see the figures reduce as a result.

“When the ‘reablement’ service is put out to tender, it may not necessarily be taken into the private sector, it is possible that another public sector provider may take on the service.”

Labour’s Tracey Simpson-Laing also hit out at the lack of consultation.

She said: “Officers were unable to defend the total absence of any formal consultation with the Hospital Trust, which stands to be affected by the proposed privatisation, through disruption to patients’ discharge arrangements, while the figures provided comparing unit cost for delivering this service were insufficient and incomplete.”

Coun Jonathan Morley, said: “Since 2005, there has been a continued change in culture away from the assumption that, for many a stay in hospital will inevitably lead to placement in a residential home.

“This responds to the expressed wish of people, including older people, to be able to stay in their own homes as long as reasonably possibly. I think this inevitably leads to ensuring that the right outcome is found for people leaving hospital and this may result in some delay.

“That is why we need to expand the reablement service which should be the first response to someone leaving hospital and a means of preventing inappropriate hospital admissions.”