Scotland cannot afford to pay the price of the SNP, Jackie Baillie has said, as the cost of delayed discharge across the NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde health board area has been revealed.

Statistics revealed by Scottish Labour have shown that delayed discharge cost NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde almost £31.5million in 2021/22. This was £6million more than in NHS Lothian where the second highest figure was recorded.

Despite the Scottish Government promising in February 2015 to eradicate delayed discharge, it still costs NHS Scotland millions every year.

It piled pressure on already-stretched services in Greater Glasgow and Clyde, which incorporates West Dunbartonshire, last year, with 113,211 bed days being lost over the course of 2021/22. This was the highest figure of all health board areas in Scotland.

Scottish Labour has said that this is symbolic of SNP failure to deliver on its promises and shows the damage done to public health and finances by SNP incompetence.

Jackie Baillie said: “Years on from the SNP promising to end the deadly and costly practice of delayed discharge, the problem still persists. In a year when services were already at breaking point, delayed discharge plundered vital funding for NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde to the tune of almost £31.5million. That is staggering.

“This whopping cost to the taxpayer has built up on Nicola Sturgeon’s watch and the disastrous Health Secretary, Humza Yousaf, has allowed it to soar.

“We cannot have patients left in hospital unnecessarily and the public purse drained due to poor provision of care for those leaving hospital.

“It’s time for Humza Yousaf to face the music and hand the role over to someone who is prepared to tackle the issue.”