THE number of patients in Gwent whose discharge from hospital has been delayed, has fallen by nearly 15 per cent during the first five months of 2019, compared to the same period last year.

The figure contrasts sharply with the Wales-wide situation, with figures for what are officially known as delayed transfers of care (DToCs) rising across the country during January-May this year by almost 1.2 per cent.

In Gwent hospitals, the number of DToCs has fallen in all but one of the first five months of 2019.

That month was March, which was a very testing time for hospitals in the area, indeed across the whole of Wales.

In March, there were 102 DToCs recorded at the monthly audit in Gwent, much higher than for the two months preceding and after it, and March too saw the highest delayed transfers of care figure this year for Wales as a whole (455).

Overall during January-May, there were 382 delayed discharges recorded in Gwent hospitals, 14.9 per cent fewer than for the same period last year (449). The comparative figures for Wales were 2,143 (this year) against 2,118 in 2018.

The lowest figures for this year in both Gwent and Wales as a whole have come in April and May, as winter has given way to spring.

There were 23 per cent fewer DToCs in Gwent hospitals in April and May this year than in the same two months last year.

A big fall from the 102 recorded in Gwent in March is down in large part to the clearing of a backlog involving the putting in place of community care arrangements, to enable patients to return home with suitable support in place.