Opposition parties have hit out at the Scottish Government after monthly figures for delayed discharge in Scottish NHS hospitals showed an increase in February.
There were 1,914 people delayed at the February census point, up by 3% compared with January.
The median length of delays was 22 days, the same as the previous month.
Meanwhile, the average number of hospital beds occupied each day by people whose discharge has been delayed was 1,874.
Scottish Conservative health spokesman Dr Sandesh Gulhane said: “It’s been nine years since Shona Robison promised to eradicate delayed discharge from our hospitals and yet the SNP are still failing miserably to do so.
“It is wholly unacceptable that over 1,900 patients were languishing in hospital when they were fit and healthy enough to return home, which only risks them becoming ill which could potentially lead to a needless loss of life.
“That is the deeply damaging impact that the SNP’s lack of support for local care services is having on patients, while these delays also have a huge knock-on effect on other frontline NHS services.
“Neil Gray cannot fail to act on this alarming trend and must finally deliver on his party’s promises.”
Scottish Labour health spokesperson Dame Jackie Baillie said: “Four years on from the start of the pandemic and Scotland’s NHS remains in perpetual crisis.
“Health secretary after SNP health secretary has pledged to restore Scotland’s NHS but all we have had is soaring waits and deep SNP cuts that will fan the flames of the crisis.
“NHS staff are working tirelessly but they are being failed by an out-of-touch SNP government that has run out of ideas.
“Humza Yousaf is at pains to tell patients and staff that his NHS Recovery Plan is working, but no-one believes him.”
Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Alex Cole-Hamilton MSP said: “Far from eradicating discharges, this SNP government is watching them soar to alarming levels.
“People should never have to wait weeks or months in hospital for a care home place or help to return home.
“The SNP’s ill-fated centralisation of social care will do nothing to ease pressures. This billion-pound bureaucracy must be scrapped, not salvaged.”
Health Secretary Neil Gray said: “The health and social care system continues to face pressure due to a number of factors, including the availability of workforce and suitable care placements, and increased levels of frailty and acuity, likely worsened by the impact of the pandemic.
“The Scottish Government is continuing to work with NHS boards and health and social care partnerships to reduce delays in people leaving hospital.
“We have put in place the delayed discharge and hospital occupancy action plan, that seeks to create the necessary capacity to deal with emerging pressures, and are also investing in hospital at home, with the aim of reducing acute admissions and allowing people to return home sooner.”