Delayed transfer of care from NHS secondary care to primary care in England: its determinants, effect on hospital bed days, prevalence of acute medical conditions and deaths during delay, in older adults aged 65 years and over

Table 2 Causes of delayed discharges

	National Audit (2003)	Current study (2007)
	Percent	Number (%)
Awaiting residential/nursing home place	26	15 (25.9)
Awaiting assessment of needs	17	17 (29.3)
Awaiting further NHS care	14	1 (0.6)
Awaiting placement of patient's choice	10	-
Awaiting public funding	13	-
Awaiting domiciliary care	9	16 (27.6)
Others*	-	9 (15.5)

Causes of delayed discharges in the current study in comparison to the National Audit Data (2003). * = causes for other reasons include waiting coronary angiogram date (n = 1), awaiting family transport (n = 1), awaiting a rehabilitation bed (n = 2), awaiting hospital transport (n = 2), awaiting case conference (n = 1), awaiting podiatrist (n = 1), family reason (n = 1).

ISSN: 1471-2318