Midlands: 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 Midlands NHS region?
As of May 2026, the Gera Delayed Discharge Index for the Midlands NHS region is 70.9 / 100 (higher = worse), ranked 6 of 7 regions. Only 45.5% of patients who no longer met the criteria to reside were discharged each day, with an average of 4,058 stuck a day. NHS England valued the month's 68,609 delayed bed days at £38,558,258. Gera re-dates this monthly.
| Measure | Value | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Gera Delayed Discharge Index | 70.9 / 100 | Higher = worse; severe delays |
| Discharged per day | 45.5% | Of patients no longer meeting criteria to reside |
| Stuck per day (avg) | 4,058 | No longer meet the criteria to reside |
| Delayed bed days (month) | 68,609 | Estimated cost £38,558,258 |
| 21+ day chronicity | 75.1% | Share of 7+ day delayed bed-days from 21+ day stays |
| vs England index | -7 | England 77.9 / 100 |
Delayed Discharge Index by ICB in Midlands (May 2026)
| ICB | Delayed Discharge Index | Discharged / day | Cost of delay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Northamptonshire | 88.5 / 100 | 25.6% | £4,013,804 |
| Lincolnshire | 87.6 / 100 | 25.6% | £3,162,374 |
| Coventry and Warwickshire | 77.8 / 100 | 37.9% | £3,674,918 |
| Birmingham and Solihull | 76.4 / 100 | 40.4% | £4,781,496 |
| Nottingham and Nottinghamshire | 72.2 / 100 | 43.1% | £5,034,958 |
| Herefordshire and Worcestershire | 67.5 / 100 | 47.9% | £3,093,248 |
| Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin | 67.4 / 100 | 44.1% | £2,230,016 |
| Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland | 64.4 / 100 | 56.6% | £3,622,652 |
| Derby and Derbyshire | 59.6 / 100 | 52.8% | £3,804,178 |
| Black Country | 58.4 / 100 | 56.0% | £3,075,264 |
| Staffordshire and Stoke-On-Trent | 54.5 / 100 | 58.1% | £2,065,350 |
Open any ICB for its full figures: Northamptonshire · Lincolnshire · Coventry and Warwickshire · Birmingham and Solihull · Nottingham and Nottinghamshire · Herefordshire and Worcestershire · Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin · Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland · Derby and Derbyshire · Black Country · Staffordshire and Stoke-On-Trent
Discharge delays in other NHS regions
Midlands discharge delays: FAQs
- What is the Delayed Discharge Index for Midlands?
- For May 2026, the Gera Delayed Discharge Index for the Midlands NHS region is 70.9 / 100 (higher = worse), ranked 6 of 7 NHS England regions. Only 45.5% of patients who no longer met the criteria to reside were discharged each day, with an average of 4,058 stuck a day across the region's Integrated Care Boards.
- Which ICB in Midlands has the worst discharge delays?
- Northamptonshire scores highest (most severe) in Midlands on the Gera Delayed Discharge Index at 88.5 / 100, with 25.6% of ready patients discharged each day and an average of 310 patients a day no longer meeting the criteria to reside.
- How does Midlands compare with England overall?
- England's national Gera Delayed Discharge Index is 77.9 / 100 in May 2026. Midlands is at 70.9 / 100 — less severe delays than the national average. 40.7% of ready patients were discharged per day nationally, versus 45.5% in Midlands.
- 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 Midlands's 68,609 delayed bed days in May 2026 at £38,558,258. This page is information, not medical advice.
Acute beds are scarce where delays are high
The Delayed Discharge Index across Midlands is 70.9 / 100, with only 45.5% 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).