The Scottish Government is pledging £100 million in its 2025-26 Budget to tackle delayed discharges, a move set to revolutionise patient care and ease pressure on Scotland’s NHS.
If approved by Parliament, the funding will expand the innovative Hospital at Home service to 2,000 beds by December 2026, making it the largest hospital in the country without walls.
This service offers a vital alternative to traditional hospital admissions, enabling patients to receive acute care in the comfort of their own homes while freeing up critical hospital capacity.
In addition, every A&E department in Scotland will gain frailty units directly linked to community care settings, streamlining pathways for elderly patients and ensuring faster, more integrated care.
This initiative is part of a wider £200 million package aimed at clearing outpatient and treatment waiting lists while renewing the NHS for the future.
Social Care Minister Maree Todd outlined these measures during a visit to Queen Margaret Hospital in Dunfermline, where she highlighted the success of programmes like Fife’s Discharge to Assess model, which could be scaled across Scotland.
Ms Todd emphasised the importance of collaboration between health and local government to address the barriers that delay hospital discharges and create regional disparities in care.
“Reducing delayed discharges is a key priority for the Scottish Government,” said Ms Todd.
“More than 96% of hospital discharges happen without delay, but we’re determined to address the challenges faced by the remaining 4%.
“Our Budget provides £200 million to help clear backlogs, improve capacity, and tackle the bottlenecks that keep patients in hospital longer than necessary.”
Central to this strategy is ensuring patients are discharged as soon as they are deemed well enough, with tailored care packages ready to support them at home.
Evidence shows that patients receiving care through Hospital at Home are less likely to need hospital readmissions or care home stays within six months of acute illness.
By expanding this service, the Scottish Government aims to deliver high-quality, patient-centred care while alleviating the strain on traditional hospital settings.
The Budget also includes record funding for the NHS, which will treat an additional 150,000 patients, boost GP services, and invest in new hospitals at Belford and Monklands.
Ms Todd urged Parliament to back the Budget to unlock this ambitious transformation, emphasising its long-term benefits for patients and healthcare workers alike.
“The NHS needs Parliament to unite behind this Budget,” she said.
“This is a plan for renewal, resilience, and a healthier Scotland.”
With investment targeting both acute care and community-based services, the Scottish Government is laying the groundwork for a more efficient, patient-focused NHS.
