South West: 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 South West NHS region?
As of May 2026, the Gera Delayed Discharge Index for the South West NHS region is 76.5 / 100 (higher = worse), ranked 5 of 7 regions. Only 40.8% of patients who no longer met the criteria to reside were discharged each day, with an average of 2,753 stuck a day. NHS England valued the month's 50,483 delayed bed days at £28,371,446. Gera re-dates this monthly.
| Measure | Value | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Gera Delayed Discharge Index | 76.5 / 100 | Higher = worse; severe delays |
| Discharged per day | 40.8% | Of patients no longer meeting criteria to reside |
| Stuck per day (avg) | 2,753 | No longer meet the criteria to reside |
| Delayed bed days (month) | 50,483 | Estimated cost £28,371,446 |
| 21+ day chronicity | 80.4% | Share of 7+ day delayed bed-days from 21+ day stays |
| vs England index | -1.4 | England 77.9 / 100 |
Delayed Discharge Index by ICB in South West (May 2026)
| ICB | Delayed Discharge Index | Discharged / day | Cost of delay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dorset | 83.9 / 100 | 36.1% | £4,785,992 |
| Somerset | 83.5 / 100 | 33.6% | £3,496,764 |
| Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire | 76.7 / 100 | 37.9% | £6,114,560 |
| Gloucestershire | 76.6 / 100 | 38.2% | £2,207,536 |
| Bath and North East Somerset, Swindon and Wiltshire | 75.4 / 100 | 41.2% | £4,676,402 |
| Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly | 74 / 100 | 48.3% | £1,505,598 |
| Devon | 62.3 / 100 | 48.8% | £5,584,594 |
Open any ICB for its full figures: Dorset · Somerset · Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire · Gloucestershire · Bath and North East Somerset, Swindon and Wiltshire · Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly · Devon
Discharge delays in other NHS regions
South West discharge delays: FAQs
- What is the Delayed Discharge Index for South West?
- For May 2026, the Gera Delayed Discharge Index for the South West NHS region is 76.5 / 100 (higher = worse), ranked 5 of 7 NHS England regions. Only 40.8% of patients who no longer met the criteria to reside were discharged each day, with an average of 2,753 stuck a day across the region's Integrated Care Boards.
- Which ICB in South West has the worst discharge delays?
- Dorset scores highest (most severe) in South West on the Gera Delayed Discharge Index at 83.9 / 100, with 36.1% of ready patients discharged each day and an average of 430 patients a day no longer meeting the criteria to reside.
- How does South West compare with England overall?
- England's national Gera Delayed Discharge Index is 77.9 / 100 in May 2026. South West is at 76.5 / 100 — less severe delays than the national average. 40.7% of ready patients were discharged per day nationally, versus 40.8% in South West.
- 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 South West's 50,483 delayed bed days in May 2026 at £28,371,446. This page is information, not medical advice.
Acute beds are scarce where delays are high
The Delayed Discharge Index across South West is 76.5 / 100, with only 40.8% 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).