Trusts and councils could share risks

The number of fines for delayed discharges could be kept down if
integrated services were developed locally and risk shared among
agencies, according to guidance from the Department of
Health.

The document states that one “alternative approach” to the
reimbursement system is for partners to agree to invest all or part
of the delayed discharges grant up front, with any subsequent
actual reimbursement which occurs being set against the sum
invested.

While the charge can only be made to the local authority, the local
authority and the primary care trust could agree that the cost of
the fine should come out of a pooled budget.

– Go to www.doh.gov.uk/reimbursement/pdf/capacitypaper.pdf