Hospital patients wait to be discharged in NDIS ‘bed block’

Taxpayers are paying tens of millions of dollars for healthy patients who are stranded in Victorian public hospital beds due to a bureaucratic mess.

Almost 300 public hospital beds in Victoria are occupied by patients who are medically fit to leave. Picture: Ian Currie

Almost 300 public hospital beds in Victoria are occupied by patients who are medically fit to leave, costing taxpayers tens of millions of dollars.

New figures obtained by the Herald Sun also reveal that more than 1430 National Disability Insurance Scheme participants nationwide were stranded at public hospitals in June due to paperwork delays and a lack of suitable housing.

The Royal Melbourne Hospital has the worst NDIS-­related “bed block” in the state with 43 people medically ready for discharge waiting for packages, accommodation or home modifications.

NDIS Minister Bill Shorten says Victorian patients are waiting an average of 160 days – a whopping five months – to leave hospital, at a cost of at least $2300 a day.

The Royal Melbourne Hospital has the worst NDIS-­related ‘bed block’ in the state. Picture: Getty Images

“It’s a disgrace that this problem has been allowed to fester for the last number of years,” Mr Shorten said.

“The one thing we can eliminate is bureaucratic wait times. No one should be waiting any longer than it takes to supply the need of staff or appropriate accommodation.”

Of the more than 1430 NDIS participants nationwide ready for discharge at June 30, Victoria had the second-worst figures with 290 disability patients in hospital as of Friday.

There were 29 patients waiting at Austin Health facilities, 23 patients at Caulfield hospital, and 16 each at Dandenong hospital, Bendigo Health Service and Barwon Health.

Mr Shorten said the delays were not only costly and clogged beds but also took a toll on patients and staff.

Under his vision to slash wait times, flags would be raised when a person eligible for the NDIS went to hospital – not when their treatment was resolved. Assessments would be concurrent, not consecutive, to reduce processing delays.

Mr Shorten says the delays are not only costly and clog beds but also take a toll on patients and staff. Picture: Alison Wynd

Hospital teams and agency workers on the ground would also be given the power to use their “common sense” if someone with a $57,000 wheelchair needed a $2000 cushion.

“If you want to get quicker results then you’ve got to trust the people on the frontline to make the decisions,” Mr Shorten said. “I can’t guarantee overnight results but this is a really worthwhile thing to do.”

On the issue of appropriate ­accommodation, Mr Shorten said the states needed to ­increase housing supply in the medium and long term.

Mr Shorten on Tuesday will visit The Alfred hospital – which has eight patients waiting to be discharged – to speak about the issue with workers.

A state government spokesman said: “We welcome action by federal Labor in helping NDIS patients get the support they need while freeing up critical hospital beds”.

Mr Shorten on Tuesday will visit The Alfred hospital – which has eight patients waiting to be discharged. Picture: Getty Images

Victoria is progressing a “pathways to home” pilot, which supports NDIS participants medically cleared for discharge to leave hospital while waiting for approvals.

Disability ministers last month agreed to work with the National Disability Insurance Agency to support “safe and timely” hospital discharges. This includes installing dedicated NDIA discharge planners in each state and territory.

Summer Foundation chief executive Di Winkler said its recent study confirmed the top reason NDIS participants were stuck in hospitals was waiting for NDIA paperwork.

The NDIA has been tasked with investigating if participants can be moved from hospital to housing within 30 days.

But the foundation is pushing for just 10 days, Dr Winkler saying this could be achieved through faster decisions.

“The fact we have close to 300 NDIS stuck in hospital here in Victoria and more than 1000 around the country is shameful,” she said.

Originally published as Hospital patients wait to be discharged in NDIS ‘bed block’