DELAYED discharges at Darlington Memorial and its sister hospitals have more than doubled from their normal levels in the last month.

The situation, sometimes known as bed-blocking, occurs when a patient is well enough to leave, but does not have a place at a residential or nursing home or the support they need to continue living at their own home.

While the South Durham Health Care NHS Trust's hospitals normally have around 25 delayed discharges, this month's board meeting heard the level currently stands at some 66.

But trust chief executive John Saxby believes there is little can be practically done to reduce the strain, which has been caused by a number of problems all happening at once.

The main problem is at Darlington Memorial Hospital where there are more than 20 delayed discharges, with a further five at Bishop Auckland General Hospital and the rest at the trust's various community hospitals.

"We would normally run to about 25," said Mr Saxby.

"It's causing us major problems. We have not so far had to cancel an elective surgery, but we have come close to that."

The community hospitals include the Richardson Hospital, in Barnard Castle, Sedgefield Community Hospital, Tindale Crescent and Horn Hall, in Stanhope.

Mr Saxby said these patients are those who had been in the hospitals for more than a month.

One problem has been a shortage of residential accommodation in the community, he said.

And he added another factor had been shortages of funding in social services to allow patient discharges, while staff shortages and illnesses were also a problem.

"Our sickness levels have been on the increase and that has not helped. We are having some difficulties in recruiting to vacant posts," he said, adding staff are 'simply not available.'

The board heard there are 12 vacant qualified nursing posts which they are finding difficult to fill and a high turnover of staff in medical wards. Theatre recruitment is also providing 'difficulties' with nine vacancies.

"There are a number of things all coming together at the wrong time," said the chief executive, who is fearing worse to come as winter draws near with 'two wards worth of patients that we really shouldn't have in our beds.'

At one stage, the ophthalmology ward at Darlington was closed for a week, as is usually the practice for weekends, with patients transferred to a different part of the hospital.

Talks were ongoing with Darlington Borough Council and Durham County social services in an effort to find a solution.