Forum Brief: Bed blocking bill

Opposition peers joined forces last night to ensure that the Community Care (Delayed Discharges) Bill will not come into force until April 2004.

The bill is supposed to deal with the problem of "bed blocking" by allowing the NHS to fine social services departments that prevent patients coming out of hospital on time because they are unable to provide support services or accommodation in a care home.

Forum Response: Counsel and Care

Martin Green, chief executive of Counsel and Care, told ePolitix.com: "Hopefully the Lords decision will allow the government to reconsider this legislation and ensure that the issue of inappropriate hospital stays for older people can be resolved."

Forum Response: Age Concern

Gordon Lishman, director general of Age Concern England, said: "We congratulate the government on listening to cross-party concerns and older people's organisations like Age Concern.

"The government has conceded the need for longer to implement the proposals to charge local authorities for delayed discharge of patients.

"But a six month postponement of the introduction of the charge is not good enough. We urge the government to think again and extend the postponement to at least twelve months. This will ensure the scheme can be piloted effectively and delivers a better deal for older people."

Forum Response: Help the Aged

Jenny Stiles, deputy head of policy for Help the Aged, said: "Help the Aged congratulates the peers on their recognition that there should be at least a years' delay in the introduction of charging of social service departments in respect of delayed discharge.

"This really is the minimum period which is necessary to permit social services to utilise the new money which they will be receiving from government from 1 April 2003.

"Help the Aged also hopes that the government will take the opportunity of the delay to ensure that a patient centred approach is introduced into the Bill.

"Such an approach has been a commendable principle in government plans for the NHS but inexplicably this dimension is totally omitted from this Bill. It needs clauses giving rights of information, inclusion in discussion and appeal to patients in respect of discharge."

Forum Response: Local Government Association

Councillor Alison King, chairman of the LGA's social affairs and health executive, said: "Since the government published its intention to fine local councils for delayed discharges in April last year, local government has consistently voiced its opposition.

"The delay is a step in the right direction - however we are calling on our colleagues in the Lords to use their vote to ensure that the bill does not make it onto the statute book.

"The level of blocked beds is dropping year by year - 24 per cent in the last year alone. We need to help councils build on this good work - based on working across the whole of the health and social care system - not divert their attention to implementing a scheme, imported from Sweden, which has not even been tried and tested in this country."