ESSEX is bucking the national trend and reducing hospital discharge delays.

The adult social care department at Essex County Council has been working with the county’s five primary care trusts and hospitals to help those with a social care need.

The improvements mean hospital beds can be vacated quicker and patients can recover in their own homes with appropriate care, according to County Hall.

The number of people being delayed dropped by 90 per cent from April 2011 to February 2012.

It means instead of 4,410 wasted days of delays there was just 286.

There was also a 98 per cent reduction in the number of people delayed waiting for residential care and a 92 per cent reduction in late assessments.

Ann Naylor, cabinet member for adults health and community wellbeing, said: “This is a vital achievement for health and social care services in Essex, ensuring a better customer experience for people leaving hospital and freeing up acute hospital capacity for other patients.

“These results have been achieved through closer working partnerships between health and social care colleagues, who have invested time to develop a more efficient, seamless process working with patients, carers and families.

“Ultimately, this great progress means that individuals in Essex accessing health and social care services are getting the appropriate support for their needs at the right time, and in the right setting. This is great news as we move toward further integration between health and social care.”