News

A leading doctor has criticised the government for threatening to penalise local authorities for delayed discharges from hospitals.

Dr Ian Bogle, chairman of council at the British Medical Association, said it would be unfair to penalise social care for bed-blocking while rewarding the NHS for its progress on reducing delayed discharges.

His comments followed the post-budget announcement by health secretary Alan Milburn that councils would be expected to reimburse hospitals in cases where patients fit for release could not then be discharged.

Following consultation, the penalties could be introduced next summer at a reported rate of around £150 for each delayed discharge per day.

In this year's budget, social services were promised a 6 per cent annual increase in resources between 2003 and 2006.

Bogle said: "If the government is hell bent upon these penalties, however, then we are quite certain that the investment must predate any penaltiesÉ I do not want to see that part of social service work underfunded because of an initiative about bed-blocking."