Written evidence submitted by Dr Nick Samaniego (Consultant Physician and Geriatrician at NHS) (ASC0030)

I am a consultant physician and geriatrician, working in a top teaching hospital. My ward holds 28 patient, and currently 20 of them are “medically fit for discharge”. However they’re still in hospital, waiting for care, assessments by community services, social services and so on, none of which are under my – or the NHS’s – control. This is the reality around the country for the frail elderly, who become more frail and vulnerable as they wait, some becoming ill and even dying before they get home due to the delays.

Unless staffing of care services increases substantially, this won’t change, however the service is “reformed” – whatever that means.

The trajectory over the past 15 years has been downwards.

Over to you.

Regards,

N Samaniego (MB ChB, FRCP)

December 2024