Liberal Democrat councillors were expressing satisfaction this week, following Labour backing for their motion condemning the Government’s controversial ‘bed-blocking’ proposals.

The Community Care (Delayed Discharge) Bill has been the subject of much condemnation since it was unveiled in the Queen’s Speech in September 2002. The bill plans to end bed blocking by fining councils’ social services departments who did not provide enough care homes and facilities for those patients ready to leave hospital but still in need of care.

However, on Monday night the Liberal Democrat Deputy Leader Wayne Hoban put forward a motion calling for the Government to “change this damaging legislation and requests the Leader to write to the Secretary for Health, expressing the Council’s opposition to the plan.”

After initial attempts by the Labour Group to filibuster the motion failed, they finally supported a motion by the opposition that condemned the actions of their own Labour Government.

Cllr. Hoban comments:

“I am glad to see Haringey Labour for once speaking up for local services.If a department is struggling due to under-funding, then it needs to be provided with more support and more money. It should not be punished with financial penalties.Social services nationally are under-funded by approximately £1 billion. The Labour Government’s new plans would cost local authorities a further £100 million a year.”

Lib Dem Parliamentary Spokesperson, Lynne Featherstone, went on to express disappointment at the lack of support from the borough’s two Government Ministers, David Lammy and Barbara Roche – now seen to be at odds with the local Labour council

Lynne Featherstone comments:

“The silence of Haringey’s two Labour MPs speaks volumes as to where there real loyalty lies. We are a community attempting to rebuild services following a couple of turbulent years. Our representatives in Parliament seem far more interested in furthering their careers than doing what’s best for this community.”

However she reflected the delight of the Liberal Democrats at being supported by the Labour run council on this decision:

“I am pleased that Labour swallowed their pride and followed our lead. This vote shows just how far the Government has lost touch. Even their local group has lost belief in them.”

Note:The Lib Dem motion was as follows:

Commmunity Care (Delayed Discharges) Bill

Proposer:Wayne Hoban
Seconder:Lynne Featherstone

This council notes that the estimated cost to each household in Haringey would be almost £11.00, as a direct consequence of the Government’s plan to introduce this bill.This council also notes that implementation of this bill will:

• Seriously undermine efforts to establish good working relationships between local authorities and health authorities
• Establish a new system of bureaucracy with no benefit to patients
• Divert essential resources away from the provision of services
• Distort priorities and the treatment of patients

It will not address the long-standing problem of insufficient capacity in the care system, or provide much needed resources for additional residential care places. Indeed, as a consequence of this bill, the 15,780 households in Haringey identified as vulnerable will be exposed to increased pressure through diversion of funds to pay fines incurred through delayed hospital discharges.

This Council also perceives that the Government’s offer to provide £100 million to help cover the cost of fines incurred is an admission that the cross charging plan is wrong both in principle and in practice.It will introduce yet more bureaucracy and expense as money is transferred from the NHS, to local authorities and back again in the form of fines.

This council calls on the Government to change this damaging legislation and requests the Leader to writeto the Secretary of State for Health, expressing the Council’s opposition to the plan.