The number of beds lost to transfer of care in the East Midlands has cost the NHS millions of pounds over the last year, according to new figures.

New NHS statistics show that over the past 12 months, the total number of bed days lost due to delayed transfers of care in England was over 2.2 million. Of these, 987,135 lost bed days were caused by social care, in whole or in part, showing an increase of over 33 per cent on the previous year.

According to NHS England, a delayed transfer of care occurs when an adult inpatient in hospital is ready to go home or move to a less acute stage of care but is prevented from doing so.

Sometimes referred to in the media as ‘bed-blocking', delayed transfers of are a problem for the NHS as they reduce the number of beds available to other patients who need them, as well as causing unnecessarily long stays in hospital for patients.

Delays can occur when patients are being discharged home or to a supported care facility such a residential or nursing home, or require further, less intensive care and are awaiting transfer to a community hospital or hospice.

The analysis showed the number of bed days lost in the East Midlands from June 2016 to July 2017 totalled 59,397 days, costing the NHS an estimated £27,085,032.

The government aims to tackle the crisis in social care by investing a further £8 billion over the course of the next Parliament, including an additional £1 billion for the first year to address the immediate funding crisis.

Duncan Bedford, chief operating officer and Queen's Hospital, in Burton, said: "The Trust is working hard to improve patient flow through our hospitals and ensure that patients receive the right care, in the right place, at the right time.

"A hospital setting is not always the most appropriate place for a patient to receive their care. Therefore, for those patients who are medically fit for discharge, we work closely with our partners ensuring where necessary care packages are in place, to allow a safe discharge either to another care setting or home."