Henry Smith MP has welcomed a Government announcement on additional funding for local authorities in England to ease pressures on social care over winter, including more than £3.3 million for West Sussex.
Earlier in the month, the Health & Social Care Secretary, Rt Hon Matt Hancock MP, announced £240 million for the social care system over winter, giving councils a significant boost to prevent people from going into hospital unnecessarily and getting them home as soon as they are ready.
Henry said;
“I’m pleased that West Sussex will be receiving over £3.3 million of funding to help social care services cope with winter pressures.
“Social care packages allow people to leave hospital as soon as they are well enough, and ensure they can regain independence and confidence at home. This funding will allow West Sussex to meet the care needs of more people in Crawley and throughout the county this winter.”
This funding will ease pressure on the health system, and follows the announcement of £145 million to improve emergency care within the NHS this winter.
The money will pay for home care packages to help patients get out of hospital quicker, reablement packages to help patients carry out everyday tasks and regain mobility and confidence, and home adaptations.
Earlier this month in the House of Commons, the Crawley MP questioned the Prime Minister, Rt Hon Theresa May MP, to call for further local health services to return to town.
Speaking after his question to the Prime Minister, Henry said;
“Health services continue to return to Crawley, but more needs to be done to put right the decisions taken over a decade ago.
“The Prime Minister has already confirmed that by 2023-24, the NHS England budget will increase by £20.5 billion a year in real terms compared with today; a real terms increase of £394 million a week more.
“With the upcoming publication of the NHS ten year plan it’s vital that we see more services return to Crawley, with a real focus on such local healthcare provision in the NHS plan.”
NHS funding is to increase on average by 3.4 per cent in real terms each year from 2019-20 to 2023-24.
