Kent and Medway: Hospital Discharge Delays
Real NHS England discharge data for May 2026 for the Kent and Medway Integrated Care Board in the South East NHS region — scored on the Gera Delayed Discharge Index (higher = worse).
How bad are hospital discharge delays at Kent and Medway ICB?
As of May 2026, the Gera Delayed Discharge Index for Kent and Medway (South East) is 79.9 / 100 (higher = worse), ranked 14 of 38 ICBs. Only 38.1% of patients who no longer met the criteria to reside were discharged each day, with an average of 670 stuck a day. NHS England valued the month's 12,865 delayed bed days at £7,230,130. Gera re-dates this monthly.
| Measure | Value | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Gera Delayed Discharge Index | 79.9 / 100 | Higher = worse; severe delays |
| Discharged per day | 38.1% | Of patients no longer meeting criteria to reside |
| Stuck per day (avg) | 670 | No longer meet the criteria to reside |
| Delayed bed days (month) | 12,865 | Estimated cost £7,230,130 |
| 21+ day chronicity | 83.6% | Share of 7+ day delayed bed-days from 21+ day stays |
| vs England index | +2 | England 77.9 / 100 |
Other ICBs in South East
Kent and Medway discharge delays: FAQs
- What is the Delayed Discharge Index for Kent and Medway ICB?
- For May 2026, the Gera Delayed Discharge Index for Kent and Medway (South East) is 79.9 / 100 (higher = worse), ranked 14 of 38 Integrated Care Boards and NHS systems. Only 38.1% of patients who no longer met the criteria to reside were discharged each day, with an average of 670 stuck a day.
- How much did discharge delays cost in Kent and Medway?
- NHS England recorded 12,865 delayed bed days in Kent and Medway in May 2026. At the NHS reference unit cost of £562 per acute bed day, that is an estimated £7,230,130 of care delivered to patients who no longer needed an acute bed.
- How does Kent and Medway compare with England overall?
- England's national Gera Delayed Discharge Index is 77.9 / 100 in May 2026. Kent and Medway is at 79.9 / 100 — more severe delays than the national average. 40.7% of ready patients were discharged per day nationally, versus 38.1% at Kent and Medway.
- 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 Kent and Medway is 79.9 / 100, with only 38.1% 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).