Bed blocking 'worst in country'

David Townsley, acting chief executive for East Sussex Hospitals NHS Trust, said the level of delayed discharges from hospital was a "disgrace".

His remark was made in a leaked internal letter to consultants which was passed to the Observer this week by a source.

He also warns of possible job losses.

Mr Townsley said: "We have to have no issue off limits for debate. Reconfiguration of services, expansion here, or downsizing there, all need to be considered, and quickly.

"Delayed transfers of care are a disgrace and the highest in the NHS.

"In previous years the Trust has carried both the financial and practical burden."

The source also claims that doctors are being paid 150 to 700 to hold ad hoc clinics in an attempt to reduce waiting times in hospital.

Bed blocking at the Conquest continues to show no signs of improvement.

East Sussex Hospitals NHS Trust said 80 beds were blocked by patients languishing in hospital needlessly at the end of the first week in August.

More than 60 of those beds were taken up by patients under the care of social services.

The never-ending crisis has dogged hospital trust bosses in recent years, particularly so since the start of this year.

County council bosses have also had to shell out almost 1 million in fines due to bed blocking at the Conquest and DGH.

East Sussex County Council's social services department has amassed the fines for failing to provide care places for elderly patients stuck in hospital.

The department is fined 100 a night for each person who is considered to be a bed blocker.

The Conquest and DGH in Eastbourne have both been running at a 97 per cent bed occupancy rate since the beginning of the year although both sites were only running at 91 per cent bed occupancy by mid-June.