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Rhona Brankin

New deputy minister for health and community care Rhona Brankin has singled out reducing the delayed discharge of older people from hospital as one of her key priorities, writes Derren Hayes in Edinburgh.

Making the keynote speech at Community Care Live Scotland this morning, Brankin, who was appointed only four weeks ago, said it was "unacceptable" for people to languish in hospital for long periods of time.

"Hospital is not a home. It is unacceptable to have any patients delayed in hospital for over a year, but it is often those with the most complex needs that experience the lengthiest delays", she explained.

Brankin added that people delayed for six weeks in hospital had reduced since 2002, but that the executives Joint Improvement Team would look at how it could be reduced further. One issue it will almost certainly look at is how community services can be developed to prevent older and vulnerable people being admitted to hospital in the first place.

"We need to move away from frequently admitting people to hospital and look at more preventative measures. What older people say to me is they want to stay living in their communities and their families want to play their role in caring for relatives, but we need to get the resources in place to help deliver this", she said.

The deputy minister also said that the cost of where a person wished to be discharged to - whether it be a care home, intermediate care or supported living at home - would not be the main factor in the decision.

" The needs and wishes of the person must always be the priority".