New funding to facilitate collaboration between NHS and local councils

The government has made new funding available to help encourage joint working between the NHS and local councils to improve delivery of care during the busy winter period.

An extra 37 million pounds has been allocated by the Department for Communities and Local Government and Department of Health for councils to get people home from hospital more quickly, as well as to stop them from being admitted in the first place.

Of this sum, 12 million pounds will be contributed by the Department for Communities and Local Government to join up health and social care services, ensuring up to 3,500 more people a week will get home from hospital more quickly.

Meanwhile, the Department of Health has allocated an extra 25 million pounds to help speed up the discharge system further, on top of the 700 million pounds it has already found for the NHS to help manage its winter pressures.

Minister for care and support Norman Lamb said: "The NHS and local authorities are already preparing joint plans to work together better, keep people well and avoid hospital admissions. This new money will help speed up that work this winter."