Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Stephen Timms and Dan Poulter

Tuesday 16th July 2013 Commons Chamber

[Stephen Timms (East Ham) (Lab)]

2. What recent assessment he has made of the effects on NHS services of changes in local authority spending on adult social care.

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Health (Dr Daniel Poulter)]

Data on delayed transfer of care suggest that the interface between health and social care has improved since this Government have been in office. In 2012-13, the number of bed days lost because of delays attributable to social care was nearly 50,000 lower than in the previous year.

[Stephen Timms]

In May, the King’s Fund report,“Paying for social care” warned that local authority spending is continuing to fall and that fewer people are getting help. It is my understanding that last month an internal NHS document recognised that pressure on social care budgets meant “more delayed discharges”, increasing the problem in accident and emergency. Therefore, cuts to care budgets are increasing delayed discharges. What will the Minister do to tackle that problem?

[Dr Poulter]

The right hon. Gentleman would have done well to listen to my answer before he read out a pre-prepared question. In 2012-13, the number of bed days lost because of social care delays was 50,000 fewer than the year before. However, he is absolutely right that we need to do more to ensure better integration and better joined-up care between the NHS and social care. That is what this Government are doing, and that is why we have allocated a £3.8 billion fund to do just that in the spending review.