The unnecessary delay in discharging older patients (those aged 65 and over) from hospital continues to be a known and long-standing issue. With the number of older people in England rapidly increasing – by 20% between 2004 and 2014, and with a projected increase of 20% over the decade to 2024 – it is now even more critical for health and social care providers to work together to minimise the length of time that such patients spend in hospital.
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