PENARTH Assembly Member Vaughan Gething has praised health and social services staff for their hard work in reducing the number of delayed transfers of care during December.

The latest official statistics, published yesterday (January 22), show the total number of patients experiencing delayed transfers of care at the December census period was 402, down by 14 per cent compared to November. In December 2013, the figure was 423.

Delayed transfers of care refer to patients in NHS hospitals who are ready to move to the next stage of their care, including discharge from hospital but are delayed for one or more reasons.

Deputy Minister for Health Vaughan Gething, who represents Penarth and Cardiff South, said:

“Our health and social services staff have been working together throughout December, including over the festive period, to make sure patients receive world-class healthcare and minimise delays to patients’ care.

“These figures show there was a 14 per cent drop in the number of delayed transfers of care compared to November. In fact December saw the lowest number of delays for that month in five years.

“We have taken decisive action to tackle the number of delayed transfers of care cases against a backdrop of the Welsh NHS now treating more patients than any time in its history. We will continue to work closely with health boards and local authorities to make sure people are able to leave hospital or go on to the next stage of their care as soon as they are medically fit to do so.

“We are investing more than ever in the NHS, with an additional half-a-billon pounds in this financial year to help the health service meet increasing demands.”

The Welsh Government last week announced an extra £40m for Welsh NHS to continue to meet the additional demands placed on it over the winter period.