To ask the Minister of Health to detail the number of hospital patients who were unable to be discharged due to inadequate care provision for the patient, in each of the last five years.

Information on the number of hospital patients who were unable to be discharged due to inadequate care provision in each of the last five years, is not available.

However, it is evident that the domiciliary care sector continues to face significant pressure on services, as demand continues to outstrip supply. I have recognised the need for immediate action to support the sector over the winter period and I was therefore pleased to recently announce a £23million funding package for domiciliary care and care home staff.

This funding has already begun to be rolled out to providers through Trusts, and we have seen a number of recruitment drives by providers, offering more favourable hourly rates and terms and conditions to employees.

I have been clear that this additional funding must be used to stabilise and enhance capacity across the sector to see us through a very challenging winter period,

As regards care homes; the HSCB has completed extensive work in relation to care home placements alongside Trust colleagues. This has confirmed that there are issues with independent sector care home assessment and acceptance of the patient over 7 days.

A piece of work has since been directed by the HSCB, in conjunction with Trust colleagues, as to the steps they could take to improve independent sector care home discharges over the weekend period. In addition, there were patients whose care needs made them harder to place on discharge from hospital. Trusts have been asked to complete a retrospective audit of Acute hospitals in January 2022, considering those patients who were more difficult to place. This intelligence will then help inform decision making going forward.