麻豆社

The inability of hospitals to get people out, often the elderly, back home or into care homes places a large strain on the NHS.

The latest figures show that 4,480 patients were delayed leaving hospitals in England in December 2014, in that month alone there were 139,156 days where patients were stuck in beds, unable to leave.

Often referred to as 'bed-blocking' which may conjure up the impression of someone stubbornly refusing to leave their hospital bed when others need one.

Often patients are unable to leave as there is nowhere for them to go to receive the care they need after being discharged.

Zoe Conway visited a hospital in Southampton where management said one in seven beds are taken up by people who don't need to be there.

One patient, Sid, has been well enough to leave for five weeks but has to be assessed by social workers and his family consulted before being discharged.

"I just want to get out" he said.