PATIENTS are being discharged early from intensive care and high-dependency units in Scotland because of shortages of beds and staff.

Almost one in 10 patients at Glasgow's Victoria Infirmary is transferred out of intensive care at night when it is not in their best interests because of pressure on capacity, according to a new report.

Inverclyde Royal Hospital and Edinburgh Royal Infirmary also have high rates of early discharge.

The same audit also reveals up to 45% of patients continue to occupy critical care beds after they are well enough to leave because of bed shortages on general wards.

A review of the care provided in the intensive care unit (ICU) at Glasgow's Western Infirmary has been triggered by yesterday's report because its death rate is slightly higher than expected.

The Scottish Intensive Care Society Audit Group (SICSAG) looked at how 39,980 admissions to critical care units in Scotland were treated last year to help staff improve services.

Progress is being made in some areas. But the proportion of patients discharged from critical care at night - which is thought to put people at greater risk because fewer key staff are available - has dropped from 13% in 2011 to 11% last year.

Norman Provan, associate director for the Royal College of Nursing Scotland, said: "Many patients are still having their recovery from serious illness and injury compromised because they are being transferred from ICU to a less acute ward at the wrong time."

He said this occurs during the night or before they are medically fit, meaning resulting in patients failing to achieve the best recovery possible. Mr Provan added: "No part of the system is immune from the pressure on capacity and resources in our health service."

Ayr Hospital Intensive Care Unit discharged more than one in five patients at night last year. Almost 9% of patients were discharged early from the Victoria Infirmary's unit, which admitted 284 people last year. At Inverclyde Royal nearly 8% of patients were discharged early and at Edinburgh Royal Infirmary it was 7%. At Aberdeen Royal Infirmary the figure was less than 1%.

Dr Brian Cook, chairman of SICSAG, said: "Early discharge is not ideal for any patient because it does involve them being pushed out of their critical care area in an unplanned way and earlier than staff feel is ideal for them."

He noted circumstances varied and some patients may go to wards still providing high levels of care near ICUs.

Dr Cook said delayed discharges, when recovering patients are unable to leave critical care for mainstream wards, started becoming a problem around six years ago. Across Scotland last year, 23% of patients had a delayed discharge from an ICU and 24% from an HDU.

For the unit at Forth Valley Royal Hospital, which includes both intensive and high-dependency care, the proportion was 45%.

The Herald has highlighted the pressure on hospital capacity as part of its NHS Time for Action series and is calling for a review of hospital and community care provision to ensure services can cope with the growing elderly population.

NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, which runs the Victoria Infirmary and Inverclyde Royal, said it had reviewed intensive care provision three years ago and found capacity was appropriate.

It said: "No ITU patient would ever be discharged unless it was clinically appropriate and when ready for discharge from ITU, patients are always transferred to a safe and appropriate environment - normally high-dependency units which also provide intensive medical and nursing support."

The board has commissioned an external review of the ICU at the Western Infirmary as its mortality rate was higher than expected.

A Scottish Government spokesman said: "This report shows that more patients than ever before are surviving critical illness due to quality treatment in intensive care.

"Reports such as this are vital to make sure that patients receive high quality care in our hospitals."