Social care needs government funding - Farron

The local NHS lost almost 900 days in October because of the crisis in social care system causing 'bed-blocking'. South Lakeland MP Tim Farron has called on the government to front-up and address the funding crisis in social care, rather than just passing the buck to councils.

In October, the Morecambe Bay NHS Trust lost 866 bed days because a lack of social care provision meant patients could not be moved on. The vast majority of these were patients waiting for a place at a nursing home.

Ministers are currently discussing plans to allow councils to increase council tax by more than the 2% currently allowed, in order to help fund social care.

Tim said: "The fact that the government is considering forcing councils to increase council tax to fund social care is a long-overdue admission that social care in the UK is in the worst state it has ever been.

"The social care system is massively underfunded, and these figures show that this is having an impact on the NHS front line - locally our NHS lost almost 900 days to bed-blocking in October. At a time when our hospitals are already under pressure, beds are being taken up unnecessarily because people can't move to the social care system.

"Instead of passing the buck to councils and hitting hard-working people through increases in council tax, the government should provide the funds the social care system needs. The government is leaving more and more people without the care they desperately need."