Heart patients 'block beds'

Heart attack patients are being kept in hospital longer than necessary - blocking beds and wasting money - researchers said today.

A study of more than 50,000 cases around the world found that many low-risk heart attack patients were not being discharged within the recommended four days, especially in Europe.

The average hospital stay in Britain is nine days, according to a commentary written by researchers from the London Chest Hospital.

The Canadian study, published in The Lancet, said past research had outlined how discharging of low-risk heart attack patients from hopital was feasible after four days, with no additional risk.

Britain was not included in the study but Dr Adam Timmis, of the London Chest Hospital, said many British patients stayed in hospital longer than the study found elsewhere because of a lack of NHS facilities and trained staff.

He added that senior staff were sometimes unavailable during the weekends to make discharge decisions. This prolonged stays by up to three days.

The Department of Health is working with a non-profit Californian health company on ways to reduce hospital stays for common treatments.