Hospitals are only too keen to ensure most people remain inpatients for as short a time as possible.
It's best for the patient to be at home if possible. It saves the NHS money and it enables other patients to be treated more quickly.
So there's cause for concern over the case of Albert Russon, of South Heighton, who has been in hospital for 14 months.
Poor Mr Russon, 87, went into hospital with deep vein thrombosis. While there, he broke his hip, contracted a superbug, needed a second hip operation and got a skin infection.
All this is awful for Mr Russon, who has been fit and active for most of his long and happy life.
It's also traumatic for his devoted daughter, Pat, who is spending a fortune visiting him from her home in Australia.
Pat feels strongly that he has been prevented from going into a nursing home which would give him gentle care and attention.
But unfortunately Albert is so frail that hospital is at present the only place for the specialist treatment he needs.
It is distressing for anyone who suffers a series of illnesses and accidents such as Mr Russon in old age.
But the reason he's being kept in hospital is that there are people in the NHS who really do care about his welfare.
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