17/10/2026
--- Keeping someone in a hospital bed when they no longer need it is a safety risk ---
Sadly, too many of us discover this the hard way: staying in hospital longer than necessary causes harm:
Prolonged hospital stays increase the risk of deconditioning, infection, delirium and sometimes result in a life-changing loss of independence for older adults.
What is being done locally?
Adult Social Care and clinical services teams at Wye Valley NHS Trust have teamed up to grow the use of technology for patients to live safely with support - monitoring and peace of mind at home after hospital treatment.
There is a growing range of innovative new Technology Enabled Care (TEC) services and products available to support safer and speedy discharge.
Staying in hospital for longer than is necessary affects people’s health, particularly older patients. People lose muscle strength, and don’t benefit from the independence and well-being of living safely at home.
Cllr Carole Gandy, Herefordshire Council’s Cabinet Member for Adults, Health and Wellbeing, said:
“Harnessing technology to improve discharge and recovery and provide individual person-centred care is a great example of NHS and council joint working. Helping people live independently and safely at home through TEC isn’t just better for their ongoing health and well-being, but reassures families and friends who are often living some distance away that people have the right support in place to stay safe.
“There’s a rapidly expanding range of technology now available to help clinicians with remote monitoring, delivering ‘virtual wards’, and managing patient safety in community settings which also helps avoid unnecessary readmissions. It’s also set to be a key element of delivering neighbourhood health and care in the future, so this collaboration is already paving the way to help us all work in an even more person-centred way in the community.”
National data shows that people aged 65 and over account for around 40% of all admissions to hospital.
Medical evidence is clear about how extended hospital stays lead to deteriorating health. If you'd like professional care at home support, here at SPL we would like to chat through your options and get a clear plan made together - it all starts with a call or message to us, and thanks for your time reading this today.
Herefordshire Council's Adult Social Care and clinical services teams at Wye Valley NHS Trust have teamed up to grow the use of technology so patients can live safely with support, monitoring and peace of mind at home after hospital treatment.
