Elderly hospital patients are being put at risk by unnecessary moves from ward to ward, Dundee University researchers are warning.
They fear the practice of boarding moving people out of speciality wards to accommodate new patients is increasing the chance of falls and delirium, which can lead to serious injury and increased death rates.
Professor Marion McMurdo and Dr MilesWitham, from the university’s school of medicine,claim boarding is becoming more common owing to a reduction in bed numbers and an increase in admissions.
They say evidence has shown frail elderly patients are 25% more likely to survive and return to independent living if they have been looked after by dedicated multi-disciplinary teams rather than boarded out.
Professor McMurdo said: “At a systems level, boarding appears to be a false economy every ward move increases length of stay thus exacerbating the very problem that boarding attempts to circumvent.”
Health Secretary Alex Neil said: “We recognise that peaks in demand may require use of beds flexibly to some extent, however we are keen to ensure that NHS boards are managing their capacity and ensuring that for the majority of patients they are admitted to the right beds at the right time with the right staff.”