More than 100 people are currently taking up beds at Royal Bolton Hospital unnecessarily while 35,000 others are stranded on a waiting list.

There are currently 130 patients in at the hospital with "no criteria to reside", meaning they no longer require hospital services, but still remain there – often referred to as ‘bed blocking’.

The trust estimates that this equates 931 days of delays.

This is according to the minutes from the most recent board of directors meeting for the trust.

The hospital hierarchy are keen to resolve this problem, particularly with backlog of tens-of-thousands waiting.

It will be an approach that requires collaboration with a number of partners and agencies.

Royal Bolton has also enlisted the services of Advancing Quality Alliance (AQUA), a "systems partner" that works within the NHS to provide quality improvement expertise, specialist learning and development, and consultancy.

READ MORE: Royal Bolton attempts to tackle issue of 35,000 being on waiting list

AQUA will be working with the Greater Manchester Elective Recovery and Reform Programme to provide some support and expertise around organisational development and business intelligence initially.

Work is being completed which focuses on both patients who are being discharged into their own homes, and patients who are being discharged into intermediate care – people who are not so ill they must remain in hospital but might need extra support before being completely discharged.

It is felt these are the two areas which, if improved, will have the biggest impact in reducing the numbers of patients with no criteria to reside in the hospital.

Rae Wheatcroft, chief operating officer at Bolton NHS Foundation Trust, said: “All partners in the Bolton health and care system are working really hard to help patients safely back to the place they call home as soon as possible.

“When hospital care is no longer needed, research shows being at home can improve recovery by providing a comfortable and familiar environment.

“We are working on a number of initiatives to reduce hospital stays and to support patients and their relatives with onward care after leaving hospital.”

With so many people waiting for treatment, Greater Manchester Integrated Care has set up whileyouwait.org.uk.

The website aims to provide further information, advice, and resources, to help those waiting manage their physical and mental wellbeing while waiting for hospital care.

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