John Swinney ‘not living in real world’ on delayed discharge

John Swinney has been accused of “not living in the real world” following a critical report on delayed discharge by auditors.

An Audit Scotland report concluded the cost of people being kept in hospital longer than was medically necessary due to a lack of social care totalled £440m per year.

Patients spent an extra 720,000 days in hospital in 2024-25, it added, which was a “symptom of wider pressures across health and social care”.

The report was raised in the chamber during FMQs today, with Scottish Labour's Anas Sarwar saying it was “damning” and should "shame" the government.

But the first minister highlighted Audit Scotland's acknowledgement that tackling delayed discharge was a priority for his government.

He also said the report found only three per cent of patients were impacted by the problem.

The SNP pledged to end delayed discharge a decade ago. In 2015, then health secretary Shona Robison told parliament she wanted to “completely eradicate” bed blocking.

The joint report from the Auditor General and the Accounts Commission calls for greater action from the Scottish Government.

It said that while projects are underway to tackle the problem, a “lack of evaluation” means it is unclear which is having the biggest impact, and whether they are delivering value for money. 

Sarwar accused Swinney of “not living in the real world”. He said: “Audit Scotland warn the system cannot function as intended. No grip from the centre, no clear accountability, no effective oversight and all of this as human consequences.” 

And Scottish Lib Dem leader Alex Cole-Hamilton raised the case of 62-year-old Margaret MacGill, who has been in hospital for over 400 days due to a lack of carers.

He said this “care bottleneck” was creating an “incalculable” cost for people up and down the country.

Swinney acknowledged the availability of carers, particularly in rural areas, was a "challenge" and highlighted his calls on the UK Government to alter immigration rules to help alleviate the problem.

On delayed discharge, the FM said that “97 per cent of patients leave hospital without delay”.

He added the “complex” issue was being addressed, before criticising Labour for not backing the proposal to create a National Care Service which he said would have allowed for greater health and social care integration.

Scottish Tory leader Russell Findlay also highlighted the Audit Scotland report, arguing Scots were being forced to pay “more and more” in tax and not getting anything in return.

He called for income tax to be cut in next week's budget.

Swinney said his government had asked taxpayers to pay more in Scotland to fund public services and tackle child poverty.