London: 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 London NHS region?
As of May 2026, the Gera Delayed Discharge Index for the London NHS region is 80.8 / 100 (higher = worse), ranked 3 of 7 regions. Only 40.4% of patients who no longer met the criteria to reside were discharged each day, with an average of 3,019 stuck a day. NHS England valued the month's 55,746 delayed bed days at £31,329,252. Gera re-dates this monthly.
| Measure | Value | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Gera Delayed Discharge Index | 80.8 / 100 | Higher = worse; most severe delays |
| Discharged per day | 40.4% | Of patients no longer meeting criteria to reside |
| Stuck per day (avg) | 3,019 | No longer meet the criteria to reside |
| Delayed bed days (month) | 55,746 | Estimated cost £31,329,252 |
| 21+ day chronicity | 90.3% | Share of 7+ day delayed bed-days from 21+ day stays |
| vs England index | +2.9 | England 77.9 / 100 |
Delayed Discharge Index by ICB in London (May 2026)
| ICB | Delayed Discharge Index | Discharged / day | Cost of delay |
|---|---|---|---|
| South West London | 88 / 100 | 30.0% | £5,055,752 |
| South East London | 80.6 / 100 | 41.5% | £7,150,326 |
| West and North London | 80.5 / 100 | 41.1% | £13,856,672 |
| North East London | 76.5 / 100 | 45.4% | £5,266,502 |
Open any ICB for its full figures: South West London · South East London · West and North London · North East London
Discharge delays in other NHS regions
London discharge delays: FAQs
- What is the Delayed Discharge Index for London?
- For May 2026, the Gera Delayed Discharge Index for the London NHS region is 80.8 / 100 (higher = worse), ranked 3 of 7 NHS England regions. Only 40.4% of patients who no longer met the criteria to reside were discharged each day, with an average of 3,019 stuck a day across the region's Integrated Care Boards.
- Which ICB in London has the worst discharge delays?
- South West London scores highest (most severe) in London on the Gera Delayed Discharge Index at 88 / 100, with 30.0% of ready patients discharged each day and an average of 415 patients a day no longer meeting the criteria to reside.
- How does London compare with England overall?
- England's national Gera Delayed Discharge Index is 77.9 / 100 in May 2026. London is at 80.8 / 100 — more severe delays than the national average. 40.7% of ready patients were discharged per day nationally, versus 40.4% in London.
- 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 London's 55,746 delayed bed days in May 2026 at £31,329,252. This page is information, not medical advice.
Acute beds are scarce where delays are high
The Delayed Discharge Index across London is 80.8 / 100, with only 40.4% 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).