The best and worst performing hospital trusts for discharging patients when they are ready to go home have been revealed.

According to figures, which were compiled by the BBC’s shared data unit, the East Lancashire Hospital Trust (ELHT), which manages Royal Blackburn, Burnley General, Accrington Victoria and Pendle Community hospitals, is the best performing trust in the North West when it comes to discharging patients who are ready to go home.

Patients who no longer meet the criteria to be in hospital but are still occupying beds are classed as bed-blockers, and ELHT not only outperformed the rest of the North West but was significantly better than the national average.

A spokesperson for the trust said they are “really proud” of their performance.

Between July 1, 2022, and June 30, 2023, on an average night 42.5 per cent patients who had been identified as ready to be discharged that day were still occupying a bed at midnight.

This is 15.3 per cent lower than the average figure for trusts across England (57.8 per cent).

It is also the lowest out of all the hospital trusts in the North West.

On the worst day, 80.8 per cent of patients classed as “no longer meeting the criteria” to be in hospital were still occupying beds at midnight - which is still far better than some trusts on an average night.

The day when the most patients were left in hospital was Tuesday, January 31 of this year when 97 patients who could have been discharged were still in the hospital at the end of the day.

The proportion of patients ready to be discharged but still occupying beds was worst on Mondays, when 44.9 per cent of patients identified as ready to be discharged that day were still occupying a bed at midnight.

Lancashire Teaching Hospitals Trust is second best in the North West, with 44.3 per cent patients who had been identified as ready to be discharged that day were still occupying a bed at midnight.

Blackpool Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is fourth, with an average bed occupancy rate, of those ready to be discharged, of of 49.4 per cent.

The worst performing trust in the North West was Stockport, with an average bed blocking rate of 93 per cent.

Tony McDonald, executive director of integrated care, partnerships and resilience at East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust, said: “We’re really proud of the trust’s performance on this, which is the result of a massive amount of hard work by the entire team and a lot of support from patients and their families.

“The truth is that no one really wants to be in hospital and there is nowhere better to recover and recuperate than in the familiar surroundings of your own home, with your family and friends around you.

"Moreover, it is actually the case that being in hospital can contribute to the deterioration of patients who might not move around as much or get on with every day activity, such as getting dressed, as they would at home.

“Our community services teams, along with a wide range of partner organisations, have comprehensive support for people at home which of course helps ensure our hospital beds are available for those who need them.

“We are really proud of the work that is taking place and the positive impact it is having on patients but continue to look for additional improvements that will help us deliver safe, personal and effective care.”