The Health Ministry is looking into several policy changes to prevent patients overstaying at the hospital
Families who leave their relatives in hospital even when they’re fit to return home could face financial penalties.
Overcrowding at the hospital reached crisis levels recently and now, the Government is exploring options to potentially impose penalties for those responsible for so-called ‘bed blocking.’
Kim Wilson, the Health Minister, says ‘bed blocking’ is a huge challenge for the hospital and Government is prepared to make legislative changes to force families to act.
In an interview today, Ms. Wilson made a clear distinction between negligent families who fail to take home patients who are medically fit for discharge and those who, due to circumstances at home or shortages of community care, are not equipped to look after loved ones.
Minister Wilson added that bed blocking has been exacerbated in recent weeks due to higher demand from those needing treatment in the hospital.
