ALMOST £500,000 of funding will help schemes in Hywel Dda and Powys to cut the number of people forced to stay in hospital because of a lack of social care places.

The Welsh Government announced funding of £2.5m across Wales to reduce the number of delayed transfers of care from hospital. Of that, £470,000 will go to mid and west Wales.

Health and Social services minister Mark Drakeford said the money would help to free up hospital beds for patients who require them.

He said: “In Wales we have invested in both our health and social care services, because people, especially the frail and the elderly, rely on both to meet their care and support needs.

“This investment has led to a steady decline in the number of delayed transfers of care over the last 10 years - bucking the trend seen elsewhere in the UK.

“The most recent statistics show more than half the delays in leaving hospital, despite people being well enough to be discharged, are the result of delays in choosing a care home; people waiting for a placement to become available or a community assessment. The priority for the £2.5m funding I’m announcing today will be to reduce and eradicate these delays, freeing up hospital beds for people who need them."

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