A social care "tsar" is to force the NHS and local social services work more closely.

Health secretary John Reid announced the new post on Wednesday in a bid to cut bed blocking and other associated problems.

Reid said the national director of local government and social care will tackle the problem of older people being forced to stay in hospital when they are medically fit to leave.

"We are not complacent and we realise that there is much more to be done to boost the NHS workforce," he said.

The latest announcement is an attempt by the government to get the media focus back on the domestic agenda.

Reid also said that the number of student doctors has risen by 50 per cent since Labour came to power in 1997.

He released figures showing there are now 7,662 in training and 2,250 more medical school places.

"This new generation of doctors are the lifeblood of the NHS and will mean that more patients will have to wait less time to be seen," the health secretary said.