AN ADDITIONAL £3.9m for local health services this winter has been welcomed by Worcester’s MP.
Robin Walker MP spoke out after health chiefs at Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust received confirmation of the funds.
The cash injection is part of the £337m winter resilience investment unveiled by the Chancellor in last month’s Budget.
Of the investment, £1.3m has been allocated to the Acute Trust to help meet costs in providing urgent and planned care throughout the winter period, including opening and staffing additional beds.
The remaining £2.6m will be shared between NHS organisations across the county including the Acute Trust, the Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs), and Worcestershire Health and Care Trust to further improve A&E performance during the winter period.
Among the projects to benefit from the cash inhection is the expansion and additional staffing of the Evergreen 2 ward at the Worcestershire Royal Hospital, providing specialist rehabilitation for patients who are medically fit but are awaiting discharge to an appropriate setting.
More nursing home beds to support patients being discharged from hospital, ensuring the county-wide frailty unit at the Alexandra Hospital in Redditch opens seven days a week and an increase in the number of district nurses and other community-based health care staff are also planned.
Speaking after the announcement, Mr Walker said: “As always I am proud of our dedicated NHS staff who work so hard to deliver this world-class care.
“I am very glad they are being supported by this additional funding which will help to ensure that our hospitals and other health services are as resilient as they can be throughout the winter.”
“I have spoken to Health Minister Phillip Dunne regarding the £29m capital funding grant and am delighted the outline business plan submitted by the acute trust was approved within days of reaching the Department of Health.
“I thank the department for the speed of their response which means that a full business case can now be submitted to enable the delivery of this funding as soon as possible.”
