I am glad to hear that Essex will be receiving an additional £5.9 million in social care funding for this winter, the second highest amount out of the £240 million government grant.
The money will help hospitals across the county reduce pressures by reducing delayed transfers and extended lengths of stay, improve weekend discharge arrangements, and speed up the process of assessing what social care is needed for patients in hospitals.
This will go a long way to averting the need for patients to go into hospital by preventing an escalation in people’s needs at home.
It is important we continue to support social care as it provides a safety net to those who need it, and empowers people of all ages, with a range of conditions and needs, to live with opportunity, independence and control.
We need to make sure that this type of care is sustainable, so I look forward to reading the Government’s plans for the future of health and social care.