Health chiefs hit out at city's plan to axe nursing home beds

Published on Friday 25 July 2008 10:49

HEALTH chiefs have criticised city council proposals to cut the numbers of nursing home beds – despite it continuing to miss bed blocking targets.

NHS Lothian gave Edinburgh 7.7 million to build four new homes to move on people who are well enough to leave hospital but not to go home.

Two of those homes have now been built, creating 120 new beds, with a further two homes with 60 beds each still to come.

However, health chiefs claim the council is now considering cutting 60 beds from its original number.

New figures show that in May, 87 Edinburgh residents stayed in hospital longer than necessary because the council could either not assess them in time or could not provide them with an alternative place to go. In June, that figure fell to 54, still higher than the agreed target of 48.

The city council wants more people to be cared for in their own home, as it believes this is also what patients want. It has also used the NHS Lothian money to provide adaptations such as handrails for pensioners to help them get about their own homes.

The council plans to place three social workers in hospitals to carry out immediate assessments on patients ready to leave.

Eddie Egan, employee director and vice-chairman of the NHS Lothian board, said: "We are dependent on social services staff in Edinburgh doing assessments. If there is not enough of them no-one can conjure them out of thin air.

"Because of this we've got beds that we don't open up, meanwhile we've got delayed discharges.

"I now discover that a proposal to relieve one part of the budget is to close beds. This means the potential loss of more than 60 beds."

However, Edinburgh City Council is confident of hitting its target in the coming months.

A council spokeswoman said: "Already this year we have opened Marionville Court and Castle Green care homes. With the opening of a third home, North Merchiston, in December, 180 new care home places will have been created."

"No decision has been taken by the council as yet to close 60 beds, however, our response to achieving delayed discharge targets is not just about creating more care home beds it is also about providing different models of community based care.

"We are also keenly aware that many older people want to stay in their own homes where possible.

"This year, a further 1 million has been invested into day services for older people and new housing with support provided at Granton and Royston. This will allow many people to remain living independently and have their care tailored to their own needs."