Laura Sharman 06 August 2021

Call to invest £600m to avoid 'bed blocking' this winter

Call to invest £600m to avoid bed blocking this winter image

Council and health leaders are calling for £600m to free up thousands of hospital beds this winter.

In a letter to ministers, the organisations warn people who are ready to be discharged from hospital risk having to stay longer than needed, if vital additional funding is not confirmed this month.

In April, the Government invested £600m in community services to allow people to be discharged from hospital and treated in or close to their homes. The new approach guarantees four weeks of care support for each discharged person.

Figures shows this approach freed up 30,000 hospital beds and 4,000 frontline nurses.

However the organisations, which include the Local Government Association, warn these services will need to scaled back or stopped altogether if the discharge to assess funding isn’t matched for the next six months from October.

Matthew Taylor, chief executive of the NHS Confederation, said: 'The interaction of health and care systems is complex and can be controversial, but this is an approach that has been proven to work. With the NHS facing a mammoth backlog of care and with the government committed to unveiling a comprehensive social reform package in the autumn, this is surely not the time to be cancelling an initiative at the boundary of health and care that has worked so well.'

The letter has been signed by the NHS Confederation, NHS Providers, Healthwatch England, the British Red Cross, the Local Government Association, and Age UK.

SIGN UP
For your free daily news bulletin
Highways jobs

Targeted Youth Advisor

Essex County Council
£28514.0000 - £33545.0000 per annum
Targeted Youth AdvisorPermanent, Full Time£28,514 to £33,545 per annumLocation
Recuriter: Essex County Council

Customer Payment Solutions Lead (Business Support) - EFDC

Essex County Council
Up to £15.0000 per hour
Customer Payment Solutions Lead (Business Support) - Epping Forest District Council 30 Hours per Week Part-Time, Temporary Up to 11 Month Contract£15 England, Essex
Recuriter: Essex County Council

Targeted Youth Advisor

Essex County Council
£28514.00 - £33545.00 per annum
Targeted Youth AdvisorPermanent, Full Time£28,514 to £33,545 per annumLocation
Recuriter: Essex County Council

Part Time Business Operations Assistant - ACL

Essex County Council
Up to £25081.00 per annum + Pro Rata
Part Time Business Operations Assistant - ACLPermanent, Part Time£25,081 per annumLocation
Recuriter: Essex County Council

Multi Therapy Assistant

London Borough of Richmond upon Thames and London Borough of Wandsworth
£35,391 - £42,888 per annum
Multi Therapy Assistant£35,391 - �... Wandsworth, London
Recuriter: London Borough of Richmond upon Thames and London Borough of Wandsworth
Linkedin Banner