Politicians urge fast release of money to help Shropshire's under-pressure social care system

They claim that Shropshire’s share of Government emergency £200 million discharge fund is the lowest in England at a paltry £1.75 million, despite one in five hospital beds in Shropshre's acute hospitals being occupied by people who should have been discharged into the community.

North Shropshire MP Helen Morgan and Shropshire’s Liberal Democrat councillors want the money to be immediately invested in freeing up beds and recruiting enough care staff but have criticised the Government allocation as “too little, too late” for the current winter crisis.

They have called on health leaders to pay enhanced rates in the short term, to allow care providers to employ Care Agency staff, re-hire staff who have left and encourage existing staff to do additional work, where safe to do so.

They've also called on the health service and council leaders to produce a comprehensive package to restore the quality of social care in the long term and wards to be re-opened in Shropshire’s community hospitals for transitional care and assessment.

Helen Morgan, Liberal Democrat MP for North Shropshire, said: "Freeing up beds and getting patients flowing through hospitals again is key for reducing A&E waits, tackling ambulance delays and saving lives. It’s so frustrating that the Government has left it until January to start thinking about the winter crisis and has now failed to focus on the areas with the most need.

“Local health leaders are going to have to move rapidly to try and make best use of the scant funding they have been given to boost social care in Shropshire and help the NHS.”

Bernie Bentick, former NHS consultant and Liberal Democrat Councillor for Meole, said: “This latest meagre allocation to assist hospital discharges is once more too little and too late for the many Shropshire people who have suffered over this winter.

“Care for those hospital patients assessed to need it should be fully funded, which would need a further £3.6 million per year to prevent a recurrence of delayed discharges and the knock-on effects on hospital and ambulance performance.

“Many patients have been discharged home and are awaiting care packages which are delayed or do not happen at all.”

Councillor Heather Kidd, Shropshire County Liberal Democrat spokesperson for health, said: “People are being discharged from hospital to houses that haven’t been seen by occupational therapists. One elderly gentleman I know was discharged to a house with no heating other than a log burner and it isn’t safe – and certainly not in cold weather.

“It’s a fall waiting to happen. That is not safe and should not happen

“It’s a real concern that people are being discharged to unsafe properties and then get readmitted to hospital and we go round in a vicious circle.”

In response, Councillor Cecilia Motley, Shropshire Council's cabinet member for adult social care, public health and communities and Nick White, Chief Medical Officer for Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin Integrated Care System issued a joint statement.

They said: “As a system we have implemented some specific interventions from our Winter Plan to create further capacity. This includes increasing the number of hospital and social care beds and increasing the number of same day appointments in primary care. We have launched our virtual wards which support people, who would otherwise be in hospital, to receive the care and treatment they need in their normal place of residence.

“We are also working together to enable faster, safer discharges from hospital to home. Getting people out of hospital on time is more important than ever. It’s good for patients and it helps hospitals make space for those who need urgent care.

“Social care is one of Shropshire Council’s key responsibilities and it is putting every effort into supporting the health system to help ease the recent winter and workforce pressures, as well as the more persistent issues faced by the system."

She said they are working closely with home care providers on recruitment and retention issues, and examining how they can 'redesign' the way the system works.

Councillor Motley said: "Care homes and domiciliary care providers have a key part to play and we continue to work very closely with them to support recruitment and retention of their staff. We are also working with the care sector on redesigning the care at home model to ensure consistent and equal access to support.

“Among the steps the council has taken to support the health system are:

• 7 day a week working and supporting daily escalation system meetings, with staff taking on extra hours and giving up leave to ensure discharges happen on time

• Commissioning extra capacity to help find care home placements, domiciliary care and therapy support for those about to leave hospital

• Developing greater use of assistive technology to help people leave hospital sooner and stay in their own homes with support.

• Paying incentives to care providers who support timely discharges from hospitals

• Putting social workers and social prescribers into hospitals to support discharges and refer patients leaving hospital to other support services, often in the community

• Developed an incentive payment for carers

Councillor Motley added that at times of peak pressures in the system, the council has "mobilised extra resources to support discharges", including during recent industrial action.

They are, she said, working closer than ever with health colleagues to prevent hospital admissions and with voluntary sector partners to create a winter support project for people leaving hospital and to help avoid hospital admissions.

Health leaders are also working on developing a trial responder service for people who suffer falls which will be used to design potential future service provision.

Councillor Motley added: “Shropshire Council is also committed to early help and prevention work to minimise future strains on the system, outlining a plan to tackle inequalities which have been shown to impact health outcomes and increase the need for NHS treatment.

“Although there has been short term funding which has helped us to mitigate some of the winter pressure, longer term, sustainable funding is needed to alleviate the constant difficulties that we face throughout the system.”