A CASE of bed-blocking that has gone on at Dudley's main hospital for over 500 days has finally been resolved, health chiefs have confirmed today (Friday).

An elderly female patient had been in Russells Hall Hospital for getting on for one-and-a-half years despite being declared medically fit for discharge.

Pedmore and Stourbridge East councillor Ian Kettle had slammed the situation “a tremendous waste of resources” and said the situation had "probably denied hundreds of patients a bed" - while a national newspaper described the saga as the “worst case of bed-blocking in the UK”.

But hospital bosses have confirmed the patient has now been discharged to a nursing home.

Diane Wake, chief executive at The Dudley Group NHS Foundation Trust which runs Russells Hall Hospital, said: “A patient at Russells Hall Hospital who has been medically fit for more than 500 days has been discharged to a nursing home where her ongoing care needs can be met.

“Clinicians from both the nursing home and hospital are confident that her care will be delivered safely in a nursing home environment.

“Unfortunately her wish to be cared for at home with 24 hour nursing care cannot be met by the NHS currently.

“We have worked extremely hard with the patient, her family and Dudley Clinical Commissioning Group to find a resolution but this has not been successful.

“It is very important that NHS resources are used responsibly and shared fairly. When a medically fit patient remains in hospital, it means that the bed is not available to treat other patients requiring acute care.”

She said the patient had been transferred with her cooperation and that close family members had been informed.

Councillor Nicolas Barlow, Dudley Council's cabinet member for adult social care said: “This has been a very complex case from the start, but we have worked closely with the patient and her family throughout.

“The local authority and the clinical commissioning group have offered a range of support appropriate to her health needs to help discharge this patient as quickly and safely as possible.”

It has not been revealed how much cash the case has cost Dudley taxpayers but Neill Bucktin, director of commissioning for Dudley CCG, said the cost of the patient’s care was covered by the contract the CCG holds with Dudley Group NHS Foundation Trust.