§ Miss McIntoshTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what representations he has received on the incidence of bed-blocking in York and North Yorkshire. [143839]
§ Mr. HuttonWe are aware of the recent difficulties regarding the delayed discharge of patients from acute beds in York and North Yorkshire. We have recently injected a substantial amount of new money into the local health and social service systems which will enable agencies to work together to provide the appropriate levels of care for those who need it.
§ Miss McIntoshTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what measures he is taking and what resources he will provide to ease bed blocking in North Yorkshire; and if he will make a statement. [144441]
§ Mr. HuttonWe have allocated £62 million extra resources to health authorities to address winter staffing issues and support transitional or interim care to minimise "blocked beds" and prevent unnecessary emergency admissions. The money has been allocated on the basis of joint plans with social services. Each National Health Service region has appointed a team of change agents, including representatives of the independent sector, to target areas with (among other indicators) increasing delayed discharge rates and support them in achieving sustainable reversals to these figures.
The Northern and Yorkshire Region was allocated £6.6 million in October for schemes to enhance capacity in intermediate care, transitional care and related cases. Of this, the North Yorkshire Health. Authority received £546,000 to facilitate discharges. More recently the North Yorkshire Health Authority received £1.086 million for winter capacity and of this £717,000 went to social care.
Additionally, the Department asked the Winter Emergency Services Team (WEST) to examine the situation in North Yorkshire. WEST visited the North Yorkshire Health and Social Care Community and York Health Services NHS Trust on 6 November and, while it made several suggestions for action, it found that systems and relationships were robust.