Imagine being told by your doctor that you’re well enough to leave hospital.

Your treatment is complete.

Your discharge is approved.

But weeks later, you’re still there.

Not because you’re sick.

Because there’s nowhere suitable for you to go.

For too many Australians living with disability, this isn’t a hypothetical scenario. It’s a growing reality.

At Lion and Mouse Australia, we believe one of the most overlooked challenges within the disability sector is the number of people who remain in hospital long after they are medically ready for discharge because the housing, supports or services they need are simply not available. [ministers.dss.gov.au]

When Disability Becomes a Hospital Problem

Hospitals are designed for treatment and recovery.

They are not designed to become long-term homes.

Yet many people with disability find themselves caught in a system where they cannot leave hospital because critical pieces of the puzzle are missing, including:

• Appropriate housing
• Specialist Disability Accommodation (SDA)
• Support workers
• Assistive technology
• Home modifications
• NDIS approvals
• Coordination between health and disability services

Research and advocacy organisations have identified housing shortages and support coordination failures as major contributors to delayed hospital discharges for people with disability.

The result is that people remain in hospital beds despite no longer requiring acute medical care.

The Human Cost of Delayed Discharge

When people hear about delayed discharge, they often focus on hospital capacity.

But the biggest impact is experienced by the individual.

Extended hospital stays can lead to:

• Loss of independence
• Reduced community participation
• Increased social isolation
• Declining mental health
• Loss of connection to family and community
• Reduced opportunities to return to employment, education or recreation

Disability should never become a reason for someone to be institutionalised simply because the right supports cannot be put in place.

Every Australian deserves the opportunity to recover, rebuild and live in the community.

The Cost to the Health System

Delayed discharge doesn’t just affect participants.

It affects the entire healthcare system.

In late 2024, the Federal Government reported that some Victorian patients with disability had previously waited an average of up to 160 additional days in hospital after being medically ready for discharge. [ministers.dss.gov.au]

Hospital beds occupied by people waiting for housing or disability supports are beds that cannot be used for patients requiring acute medical care.

The same report estimated hospital beds can cost taxpayers approximately $2,500 per night, highlighting the significant economic impact of discharge delays. [ministers.dss.gov.au]

This is why improving hospital discharge processes is not just a disability issue.

It is a healthcare system issue.

Progress Is Being Made, But More Needs to Be Done

There has been encouraging progress.

The National Disability Insurance Agency reported that by November 2024, the average time for an NDIS participant to leave hospital after being medically ready for discharge had reduced to approximately 20 days nationally, the lowest recorded average at the time.

The NDIA has also expanded the number of Health Liaison Officers and specialist staff working directly with hospitals and participants to support discharge planning and transitions back into the community. [ministers.dss.gov.au]

These improvements demonstrate what can happen when health and disability systems work together.

But challenges remain.

Housing Remains the Missing Piece

One of the most significant barriers to discharge continues to be housing.

Advocacy groups such as the Summer Foundation have repeatedly highlighted that many people with disability cannot leave hospital because they are unable to access suitable housing and supports when they are ready to return to the community.

For some participants this may involve:

• Specialist Disability Accommodation (SDA)
• Supported Independent Living (SIL)
• Home modifications
• Accessible rental properties
• Individualised support arrangements

Without these options, discharge can be delayed for weeks or months.

No amount of medical treatment can solve a housing shortage.

Why Coordination Matters

One of the ongoing frustrations for participants and families is that healthcare and disability support often operate as separate systems.

Hospitals focus on clinical outcomes.

The NDIS focuses on disability-related supports.

Housing providers focus on accommodation.

Participants and families are frequently left trying to connect all three.

This can create delays, confusion and stress at a time when people should be focusing on recovery.

Better communication between hospitals, housing providers, support coordinators, allied health professionals and NDIS service providers can significantly improve outcomes.

What Lion and Mouse Believes

At Lion and Mouse Australia, we believe nobody should remain in hospital simply because appropriate disability supports have not been coordinated.

People with disability deserve:

• Timely discharge planning
• Safe and accessible housing
• Appropriate support services
• Collaborative care teams
• Greater choice and control over where they live

Most importantly, they deserve a system that sees them as individuals with goals, aspirations and a future beyond a hospital ward.

Building a Better Pathway Home

The solution isn’t simply more funding.

It’s better integration.

When hospitals, disability providers, housing organisations and government agencies work together, participants can move more quickly from hospital beds back into homes, communities, workplaces and the lives they want to lead.

Because recovery doesn’t happen in a hospital forever.

Recovery happens when people are given the opportunity to live.

Need Help Navigating a Hospital Discharge or NDIS Transition?

Whether you’re preparing for discharge, seeking housing supports, coordinating services or navigating your NDIS plan, Lion and Mouse is here to help.

📞 1300 048 355
🌐 www.lionandmouse.com.au

Lion and Mouse Australia Ltd is a registered Australian charity committed to empowering people with disability through lived experience, ethical support and person-centred service delivery.