Dorset: Hospital Discharge Delays
Real NHS England discharge data for May 2026 for the Dorset Integrated Care Board in the South West NHS region — scored on the Gera Delayed Discharge Index (higher = worse).
How bad are hospital discharge delays at Dorset ICB?
As of May 2026, the Gera Delayed Discharge Index for Dorset (South West) is 83.9 / 100 (higher = worse), ranked 8 of 38 ICBs. Only 36.1% of patients who no longer met the criteria to reside were discharged each day, with an average of 430 stuck a day. NHS England valued the month's 8,516 delayed bed days at £4,785,992. Gera re-dates this monthly.
| Measure | Value | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Gera Delayed Discharge Index | 83.9 / 100 | Higher = worse; most severe delays |
| Discharged per day | 36.1% | Of patients no longer meeting criteria to reside |
| Stuck per day (avg) | 430 | No longer meet the criteria to reside |
| Delayed bed days (month) | 8,516 | Estimated cost £4,785,992 |
| 21+ day chronicity | 89.8% | Share of 7+ day delayed bed-days from 21+ day stays |
| vs England index | +6 | England 77.9 / 100 |
Other ICBs in South West
Dorset discharge delays: FAQs
- What is the Delayed Discharge Index for Dorset ICB?
- For May 2026, the Gera Delayed Discharge Index for Dorset (South West) is 83.9 / 100 (higher = worse), ranked 8 of 38 Integrated Care Boards and NHS systems. Only 36.1% of patients who no longer met the criteria to reside were discharged each day, with an average of 430 stuck a day.
- How much did discharge delays cost in Dorset?
- NHS England recorded 8,516 delayed bed days in Dorset in May 2026. At the NHS reference unit cost of £562 per acute bed day, that is an estimated £4,785,992 of care delivered to patients who no longer needed an acute bed.
- How does Dorset compare with England overall?
- England's national Gera Delayed Discharge Index is 77.9 / 100 in May 2026. Dorset is at 83.9 / 100 — more severe delays than the national average. 40.7% of ready patients were discharged per day nationally, versus 36.1% at Dorset.
- What counts as a delayed discharge?
- Every day NHS England records how many acute inpatients (18+) no longer meet the criteria to reside — they are clinically ready to leave — and, of those, how many are actually discharged. Those who remain are delayed discharges, usually waiting on social care, a care-home place, home adaptations or community services. This page is information, not medical advice.
Beds are scarce where discharge delays are high
The Delayed Discharge Index at Dorset is 83.9 / 100, with only 36.1% of ready patients discharged each day. For a non-emergency, see a UK-registered GeraClinic doctor online, often the same day — a private service, not affiliated with the NHS. For a 999 emergency always call 999.
Contains public sector information published by Gera Systems and licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0 (source data). Source: Gera Delayed Discharge Index — derived from the NHS England Acute Discharge Situation Report (May 2026, published 3 July 2026).