AQW 38060/22-27 Written question to the Minister of Health
To ask the Minister of Health to detail (i) the number of patients who had a delayed discharge due to the unavailability of domiciliary care; and (ii) the average length of such delays, in each of the last 12 months, broken down by Health and Social Care Trust.
Asked by Claire Sugden MLA on 13 January 2026
- Answered
- Written
- After due date
- Tabled
- 13 January 2026
- Answer due by
- 28 January 2026
- Answered
- 9 March 202655 days after tabling
- Department
- Department of Health
- Priority question
- No
Answer
Officials contacted each of the HSC Trusts for the response set out below;
BHSCT
| Number of Patients delayed due to unavailability of domiciliary care | Average length of delay (over 48 hours in days) | |
| Jan-25 | 59 | 7.1 |
| Feb-25 | 65 | 8.5 |
| Mar-25 | 88 | 8.5 |
| Apr-25 | 81 | 8.5 |
| May-25 | 73 | 9 |
| Jun-25 | 72 | 9 |
| Jul-25 | 82 | 7.8 |
| Aug-25 | 85 | 11.1 |
| Sep-25 | 94 | 9 |
| Oct-25 | 90 | 10.3 |
| Nov-25 | 93 | 8.3 |
| Dec-25 | 87 | 9.6 |
*Belfast Trust note that they discharge approximately 200 patients who require homecare per month in under 48 hours.
NHSCT
| Number of Patients delayed due to unavailability of domiciliary care | Average Length of delay (in days, to include the 48-hour target timeframe) | |
| Jan-25 | 40 | 4.7 |
| Feb-25 | 36 | 5.5 |
| Mar-25 | 46 | 5.1 |
| Apr-25 | 58 | 4.3 |
| May-25 | 71 | 5.6 |
| Jun-25 | 66 | 71 |
| Jul-25 | 86 | 3 |
| Aug-25 | 72 | 4.4 |
| Sep-25 | 73 | 3.9 |
| Oct-25 | 88 | 4.2 |
| Nov-25 | 66 | 4.3 |
| Dec-25 | 74 | 5.8 |
SEHSCT
| Number of Patients delayed due to unavailability of domiciliary care | Average length of delay (over 48 hours in days) | |
| Jan-25 | 116 | 2.83 |
| Feb-25 | 114 | 3.75 |
| Mar-25 | 107 | 2.54 |
| Apr-25 | 109 | 3.63 |
| May-25 | 117 | 3.21 |
| Jun-25 | 102 | 2.04 |
| Jul-25 | 99 | 3.96 |
| Aug-25 | 95 | 3.46 |
| Sep-25 | 110 | 2.13 |
| Oct-25 | 126 | 2.17 |
| Nov-25 | 119 | 2.17 |
| Dec-25 | 138 | 2.67 |
*SET note, there are many variables and caveats to be factored in which raw data cannot account for, i.e. the length of time delayed may not have solely been due to unavailability of a homecare package. Transport issues and orders for equipment and medication are all reasons which could have contributed to delayed discharge without being coded as the primary reason.
SHSCT
| Number of Patients delayed due to unavailability of domiciliary care | Average length of delay (over 48 hours in days) | |
| Jan-25 | 44 | 35.69 |
| Feb-25 | 39 | 45.72 |
| Mar-25 | 57 | 8.88 |
| Apr-25 | 62 | 14.48 |
| May-25 | 53 | 14.49 |
| Jun-25 | 59 | 12.29 |
| Jul-25 | 63 | 13.32 |
| Aug-25 | 56 | 11.16 |
| Sep-25 | 53 | 16.88 |
| Oct-25 | 112 | 13.72 |
| Nov-25 | 68 | 15.07 |
| Dec-25 | 74 | 15.46 |
WHSCT
*WHSCT have indicated they are unable to provide the information as requested as the Trust is still working on a data validation process following implementation of Encompass.