§ Adam PriceTo ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the Government's strategy to tackle bed blocking. [71769]
§ Jacqui SmithThe Government set a target in October 2001 to reduce the number of acute hospital beds blocked at any one time by 1,000, by 31 March 2002. In March 2001 there were 5,938 beds blocked by the over-75s, and at the end of March this year 4,691 were blocked.
The Government will shortly be consulting on its plans, first announced in, "Delivering the NHS Plan", to introduce a system of charges for delays where people are ready for discharge and are awaiting social services input.
Later in the year, the Government will be responding in full to the House of Commons Health Select Committee's forthcoming report on delayed discharges.