East of England: Hospital Discharge Delays
Real NHS England discharge data for May 2026, across the Integrated Care Boards in this NHS region — scored on the Gera Delayed Discharge Index (higher = worse).
How bad are hospital discharge delays in the East of England NHS region?
As of May 2026, the Gera Delayed Discharge Index for the East of England NHS region is 67.6 / 100 (higher = worse), ranked 7 of 7 regions. Only 50.4% of patients who no longer met the criteria to reside were discharged each day, with an average of 2,029 stuck a day. NHS England valued the month's 31,226 delayed bed days at £17,549,012. Gera re-dates this monthly.
| Measure | Value | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Gera Delayed Discharge Index | 67.6 / 100 | Higher = worse; severe delays |
| Discharged per day | 50.4% | Of patients no longer meeting criteria to reside |
| Stuck per day (avg) | 2,029 | No longer meet the criteria to reside |
| Delayed bed days (month) | 31,226 | Estimated cost £17,549,012 |
| 21+ day chronicity | 75.9% | Share of 7+ day delayed bed-days from 21+ day stays |
| vs England index | -10.3 | England 77.9 / 100 |
Delayed Discharge Index by ICB in East of England (May 2026)
| ICB | Delayed Discharge Index | Discharged / day | Cost of delay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Central East | 72.1 / 100 | 45.1% | £9,962,012 |
| Norfolk and Suffolk | 69.7 / 100 | 50.4% | £4,924,244 |
| Essex | 48.4 / 100 | 63.4% | £2,662,756 |
Open any ICB for its full figures: Central East · Norfolk and Suffolk · Essex
Discharge delays in other NHS regions
East of England discharge delays: FAQs
- What is the Delayed Discharge Index for East of England?
- For May 2026, the Gera Delayed Discharge Index for the East of England NHS region is 67.6 / 100 (higher = worse), ranked 7 of 7 NHS England regions. Only 50.4% of patients who no longer met the criteria to reside were discharged each day, with an average of 2,029 stuck a day across the region's Integrated Care Boards.
- Which ICB in East of England has the worst discharge delays?
- Central East scores highest (most severe) in East of England on the Gera Delayed Discharge Index at 72.1 / 100, with 45.1% of ready patients discharged each day and an average of 1,042 patients a day no longer meeting the criteria to reside.
- How does East of England compare with England overall?
- England's national Gera Delayed Discharge Index is 77.9 / 100 in May 2026. East of England is at 67.6 / 100 — less severe delays than the national average. 40.7% of ready patients were discharged per day nationally, versus 50.4% in East of England.
- Why do discharge delays matter for patients?
- Staying in hospital when you no longer need to raises the risk of deconditioning, falls and hospital-acquired infection, especially for older people, and the occupied beds block A&E admissions and planned surgery. NHS England valued East of England's 31,226 delayed bed days in May 2026 at £17,549,012. This page is information, not medical advice.
Acute beds are scarce where delays are high
The Delayed Discharge Index across East of England is 67.6 / 100, with only 50.4% of ready patients discharged each day — beds fill and A&E admissions back up. 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).