‘NHS takes family to court’ over social care bill row.

The NHS took a hospital patient’s family to court when they were unwilling to meet the costs of her care after she was discharged, a Wakefield councillor has said.
Labours Ros Lund made the claim at a meeting on Wednesday, as elected members debated the future of social care funding.Labours Ros Lund made the claim at a meeting on Wednesday, as elected members debated the future of social care funding.
Labours Ros Lund made the claim at a meeting on Wednesday, as elected members debated the future of social care funding.

Labour’s Ros Lund made the claim at a meeting on Wednesday, as elected members debated the future of social care funding.

The council’s ruling Labour group called on the government to deliver social care free at the point of use and to publish its heavily delayed green paper on the issue.

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Coun Lund, deputy portfolio holder for health, said that for every day the paper was delayed “people’s needs are going unmet”.

Hospital was no longer the appropriate place for her and she was blocking a much-needed bed.

“Her family had stopped visiting as they did not want to take on the additional care costs that would come with her discharge.

“The situation was only resolved when the NHS took the family to court.”

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Coun Lund added that the woman’s circumstances were complicated by difficulties in finding her a care home.

She went on: “Care homes are closing at an alarming rate, and are becoming increasingly selective about the patients they take on.”

The Conservative opposition said that the Government was making record levels of investment into the NHS.

Coun Samantha Harvey said: “The NHS is always there for us, free at the point of use, and showcasing the very best of Britain.

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“The Prime Minister is committed to ensuring that the NHS has all the funding it needs to ensure it remains the best healthcare service in the world.

“We await the bold and ambitious Queen’s Speech, in which our plans for the NHS will be outlined further.”

Coun Harvey also quoted Boris Johnson’s speech when he moved into Downing Street in July, in which he promised to end what he called a “crisis” in social care.