by Bill Heaney
People with learning disabilities and complex needs are being “abandoned”, Scottish Labour has warned, as hospital waits of over six years are revealed.
Shocking new figures have shown that people with learning disabilities and complex needs are getting stuck in hospital for years on end due to challenges with the provision of social care.
In March 2026, there were 67 people with learning disabilities and complex needs who were in hospital despite being clinically ready to leave.
Of these, 42 had already been waiting more than a year, and a shocking 9 patients had been stuck in the hospital for more than six years.
The report says these shocking waits can be the result of “issues relating to funding, accommodation, or finding appropriate care providers”.
The report also shows 29 people have “inappropriate out-of-area placement” and 196 people are “at risk of support breakdown”.
It has been eight years since the Scottish Government published its “Coming Home” report on complex care needs with a view to tackling delayed discharge and reducing the need for out-of-area placements. Still, today’s figures have sparked concerns that the support put in place to address the issue isn’t working as needed.
Scottish Labour Health and Social Care spokesperson Jackie Baillie said: “This damning report shows people with learning disabilities and complex needs are being let down on the SNP’s watch.”
The Dumbarton MSP added: “Dozens of people are trapped in hospital for years on end, despite being medically ready to leave, because they simply can’t get the care they need.
“It is not right that people are being abandoned by a social care system that cannot cope, and a lack of investment in specialist care.
“The SNP must urgently look into the serious issues raised in this report and make sure our social care system can deliver the specialist care people need to live their lives.”
Notes
Insights into learning disabilities and complex needs: statistics for Scotland
In Scotland, as at 26 March 2026:
- There were 158 people in the hospital, of whom 67 were classified as delayed discharge. This is when a person is clinically ready for discharge from inpatient hospital care but continues to occupy a hospital bed beyond the date that they are ready for discharge.
- 42 of them had been waiting more than a year.
- 28 of them had been waiting more than two years.
- 9 of them had been waiting more than six years.
- There were 29 people recorded as an inappropriate out-of-area placement. This is a placement which the person and/or family did not choose, and which nevertheless occurred because of a lack of suitable resources and/or accommodation within the person’s preferred community setting.
- There were 196 people recorded as being at risk of support breakdown. This is when a person’s current living situation has become unsuitable. For example, the family carer is unable to continue caring, there are concerns about the suitability or stability of a placement or there is an increase in severity and frequency of challenging behaviour.
Number of Delayed Discharges on Dynamic Support Registers by duration of delay, Scotland
|
Length of Delay |
Number of Delayed Discharges as at 26 March 2026 |
Percentage of Delayed Discharges (%) as at 26 March 2026 |
|
0-3 months |
4 |
6.0 |
|
4-6 months |
8 |
11.9 |
|
7-12 months |
9 |
13.4 |
|
13-23 months |
14 |
20.9 |
|
2-5 years |
19 |
28.4 |
|
6+ years |
9 |
13.4 |
|
Unknown |
4 |
6.0 |
|
Scotland (Estimate) |
67 |
100.0 |
Coming home: complex care needs and out of area placements 2018: https://www.gov.scot/publications/coming-home-complex-care-needs-out-area-placements-report-2018/
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