Labour pledges to buy 300 care home beds to tackle bed blocking

It is estimated there are around 2,000 patients in Scotland who are medically fit to leave hospital, but cannot because there is not an appropriate care package in place for them either at home or in a care home.

Labour’s deputy leader Dame Jackie Baillie says if her party wins the 2026 Holyrood election, they will end bed blocking for good by buying up hundreds of care home beds.

Patients who would otherwise be bed blocking would be transferred to these care home beds while they wait for a care package.

Proposals suggest the patients would stay in these beds for four weeks, before either being transferred back home or to another care home.

Labour says this will cost £21.8 million a year and says each of these care home beds is £800 cheaper than a hospital bed.

The party has also vowed to add 1,000 non-residential care packages which will cost a further £16.7m.

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Labour says this will free up thousands of hospital beds, reduce A&E waiting times, and create a “sustainable relationship” between health and social care.

The party’s deputy leader Jackie Baillie MSP said: “When there is no safe way to leave hospital, it’s no wonder that wards are filled to bursting.

“This intervention will create the breathing space needed to deliver a sustainable path between health and social care.

“It will free up hospital beds and tackle the scandal of corridor care where patients wait eight hours or more to be seen.

“It will also take much-needed action in expanding care packages at home, which are essential in allowing people to return to their own community.

“These announcements will be the first steps towards creating a social care sector for the future, where patients can leave hospital knowing they will be comfortable, cared for, and supported to live independently.

“This is the new direction Scotland needs.”

The total cost of these pledges is £38.5m, which Labour says will come from the £100m pledged in the draft 2025/26 Scottish budget for reform and improvement measures within health and social care.