A councillor has branded a government plan to speed up the discharge of Isle of Wight hospital patients who are well enough to leave as, ‘not very helpful.’
It has also been revealed that, on Monday, there were only 19 residential, nursing and care beds available on the Isle of Wight (though the situation changes hourly, and some patients have a need for specialist beds).
Jarman: Government’s approach to a complex issue is simplistic
Cllr Chris Jarman, Isle of Wight council’s cabinet member for strategic finance, called the government’s approach interesting but simplistic, for what he says is a rather complex issue.
For over a year, a lack of care in the community has caused backlogs at St Mary’s Hospital in Newport – the derogatory term ‘bed blockers’ is often used in the media to describe those caught in the situation.
Fit for discharge
The Newport hospital has an average of between 70 and 75 patients who could be discharged, but cannot leave because of a lack of community care.
Across England, the number of patients on Monday who did not need to be in hospital stood at around 13,000.
This week, a £250 million fund was announced by Health and Social Care Secretary, Steve Barclay MP.
It aims to help councils buy extra beds in community care settings
Jarman: It’s a circular problem
On Tuesday, at the Isle of Wight council’s corporate scrutiny committee meeting, Cllr Jarman said the Island has a circular problem — a lack of care and nursing home places, a lack of staff and a lack of community carers.
He highlighted an enormous under-provision not addressed by the government’s policy.
Cllr Jarman said,
“[The policy] is not very helpful.
“It does not matter if you provide money, it is only part of the answer.
“We need people and places, combined with money.”
Jarman: more integrated working required
The Cabinet member also said it required more integrated working with health services and local authorities, to implement reforms and a strategic way of addressing the need.
Adult social care is one of the biggest budget pressures the council faces as, among other issues, the authority has to pay more for agency staff to fill gaps in its workforce.
This article is from the BBC’s LDRS (Local Democracy Reporter Service) scheme, which News OnTheWight is taking part in. Some alterations and additions may have been made by OnTheWight. Ed
