News story

9th October 2001

MP Welcomes Extra Cash To Reduce "Bed-Blocking"

Northavon MP Steve Webb has welcomed the announcement today of extra cash for council social services departments to help reduce the problem of hospital beds being “blocked” by elderly people with nowhere to go. Earlier this year, Steve Webb challenged the Prime Minister at question time in the House of Commons about the problem of a lack of provision for elderly people leading them to get stuck in NHS hospitals. In reply the Prime Minister acknowledged bed blocking as “the biggest problem facing the NHS”. Now, in an unusual decision to release extra cash half way through the financial year, the Department of Health has announced an additional £300 million for council social services departments over the next two years in order to tackle the problem. Fifty councils were identified as priorities for additional support and both South Gloucestershire (which will receive £468,000) and Bristol (which will receive £993,000) are included within this list. A further one hundred councils will also receive help.

Steve Webb said:

“I very much welcome the fact that the Government has realised that there is a crisis in care for older people. It is inhumane for elderly people to be forced to remain in hospital when they are ready for discharge, simply because there is no provision for them either in the community or in residential care. It is also creating real problems for local hospitals. Although the new money is relatively modest, I hope that it will help to relieve some local pressures and will enable more elderly people to receive the care that they need”.

*** ENDS ***