January 7, 2011 12.01 pm This story is over 157 months old

NHS to receive front-line care funding

Cash boost: NHS Lincolnshire will receive more money to get people on after care when they leave hospitals.

NHS Lincolnshire will be granted extra funding for post-operative patient care.

The £162 million in extra NHS funding will be given to local health services across the county from the Department of Health.

The funding became available due to an efficiency drive in Central Government last year, freeing up the sum to pass onto local services.

The department hopes that the funding will allow hospitals to treat more post-op patients out of hospital, therefore freeing up more beds in wards.

It will especially help elder patients get the after-care they need after leaving hospital but not necessarily impact their independence.

It will be used for front-line care health services, such as more short-term residential care places, more help and equipment for doctors or nurses dealing with home-care patients and investment in crisis response teams and rehabilitation services.

The funding will be added to the £70 million already put aside for NHS after-care, of which Lincolnshire received £922,000.

There will also be a further £300 million added in 2014 to 2015 by the Government to keep the scheme running.

NHS Lincolnshire does not know how much of the £162 milion they will receive, but will be working with other services in the county to decide how to use it.

Director of Finance and Contracting at NHS Lincolnshire Andy Spring said: “We are awaiting details of the allocation for Lincolnshire.

“We hope this will be about £2.1m but we cannot be definitive about the amount until we receive notification from the Department of Health.

“We will be working with Lincolnshire County Council Social Services, United Lincolnshire Hospitals, Lincolnshire Partnership Foundation Trust, Lincolnshire Community Health Services, East Midlands Ambulance Service and emerging GP Consortia to determine the use of it.”

Care Services Minster Paul Burstow said: “By reinvesting these NHS savings in social care we can offer more help more support to older people leaving hospital.

“This investment will also help to kickstart the collaborative working between the NHS and Councils at the heart of our reforms.

“It is absolutely crucial that the NHS and local authorities work together to help people leave hospital when they are ready.

“The benefits are on all sides – patients get to go home with the support they and their families need, and hospital beds are freed up.

“This money will help cut the delays in getting the equipment and adaptations that people can need to enable them to live independently at home.”

£162 million was saved by the Department of Health cutting back its spending on IT, consultancy, administration and advertising services.

Photo: James Delaney