Shadow health spokesman Dr Liam Fox has warned that the "crisis" in Britain's care homes is causing increasing problems for the NHS.

With nearly 47,000 fewer care home places than when Labour came to power, delayed discharges were causing "bed blocking" and cancelled operations, he said.

Liberal Democrat MP, Paul Burstow, yesterday called on the government to increase health service investment, after revealing that many elderly people lose their sight because of a lack of available money to treat their condition.