My Lords, I thank noble Lords for the debate this evening and for the amendments put forward, which have focused on what I would call a complete continuum of care and support where people need it most; my thanks also to the noble Baroness, Lady Finlay, for leading the debate. What we hear tonight is the need to drive up standards and availability in what can be accessed for reablement and rehabilitation.
As the noble Lord, Lord Warner, reminds me, I fear that, over time, we have perhaps lost a broader range of provision, and the word “convalescence” has somewhat left our vocabulary. The amendment tabled by the noble Baroness, Lady Greengross, to ensure that accommodation is available to people who are in rehabilitation—people who no longer need to be in a hospital ward but cannot return to their own home—is creative and practical. I hope that the Minister will look at exploring that idea.
Midnight
On this group of amendments we are talking about supporting patients in leaving hospital and finally returning to the place where they should be—home—safely and in a timely manner, and about keeping hospital beds free for those who need them most. This should be done by providing the right kind of care when people actually need it. We all know that delayed discharges make things worse for people. There is functional decline, such as muscle deterioration, in those who are older or who have dementia. There is
additional expense for the NHS as people occupy beds when they do not have a clinical need to do so. Also, people will need more complex, or higher levels of, care on discharge, due to the loss of function that I mentioned earlier.
Individuals recover best in an environment suited to them. That may be at home; it may be in specific accommodation; it may be in other circumstances. What is most important is that people are considered as individuals and assessed at the right time and provided for, so that they can go on to live healthier and more independent lives for longer.
The noble Baroness, Lady Watkins, said that most delays were due to a failure to arrange the right package of care. Indeed, that is so. The noble Baroness, Lady Grey-Thompson, emphasised the need to ensure that provision is tailored to the needs of the individual. This is particularly important as we move into the post-pandemic time and find that one in 10 Covid patients will live with long-term symptoms.
In conclusion, I support not just the spirit and ambition of this group of amendments, but the suggestions in them. I hope that the Minister will take them on board.