Labour would use part of NHS budget to buy beds in care homes
by Denis Campbell Health policy editor from World news | The Guardian on (#6NKZT)
Party says plan would free up thousands of England hospital beds occupied by patients whose discharge has been delayed
NHS money will be used to buy thousands of beds in care homes under Labour plans to reduce overcrowding in England's hospitals, long waits in A&E and patients becoming trapped in ambulances.
Wes Streeting, the shadow health secretary, said the move would tackle the huge human and financial waste" of beds being occupied by patients fit to leave but stuck there because a lack of care outside the hospital. There are 13,000 beds in England - enough to fill 26 hospitals - being occupied by such patients.
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