Peter Aldous questions the Government about efforts to help local authorities recruit social care staff as the shortage cascades right through the health and social care system and causing major difficulties for hospitals in discharging patients and getting on top of the backlog of operations.
Peter Aldous (Waveney) (Con)
T3. Local authorities such as Suffolk County Council are facing major challenges in recruiting social care staff. That is cascading right through the health and social care system and causing major difficulties for hospitals in discharging patients, getting on top of the backlog of operations and getting ambulances quickly back on the road. Can my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State outline the discussions he has had with local government to remove this logjam? (900739)
The Minister for Local Government, Faith and Communities (Kemi Badenoch)
Local authorities such as Suffolk County Council are facing major challenges in recruiting social care staff; that is cascading right through the health and social care system and causing major difficulties for hospitals in discharging patients and getting on top of the backlog of operations. I agree with my hon. Friend and want him to know that I have been working on the issue very closely with my counterpart in the Department of Health and Social Care. We have provided £462.5 million to local authorities to support them with those workforce pressures, and there is more that we will continue to do.