LOCAL MP Rebecca Pow has met in Westminster with Social Care Minister Helen Whately and Somerset NHS Foundation Trust chairman Colin Drummond to highlight the importance of unblocking beds in Musgrove Park Hospital, Taunton.

They also discussed a clear pipeline of provision within the Somerset to move those who are ready to be discharged back into the community with suitable care packages.

The Government has given £2 million to Somerset County Council to help unblock hospital beds in the county and thereby reduce admission waiting times.

The Minister told Ms Pow the Government required the county council to be transparent and show the pipeline of transfers to social care, while the NHS trust would be reporting on discharges to the local authority.

The meeting also covered progress on a proposed first-of-a-kind merger to create a single trust to run both Musgrove Park and Yeovil District Hospital.

Ms Pow said afterwards: “We called for greater transparency from the local authority to demonstrate actions and targets for delivery.

“I was pleased to hear the Minister will be requiring the local authority to report back on the pipeline of transfers to social care and similarly the NHS will be reporting on discharges to the local authority.

“We also updated the Minister on progress with the legal merger of the Somerset NHS Foundation Trust.

“This is the first trust of its kind and will be the largest and most diverse in the country.”

Mr Drummond said: “Delayed discharges are not good for the patients concerned and are a block to progress on hospital waiting lists and response times.

“The delays can be due to issues in social care or within the NHS.

“I welcome the Minister’s identification of clear targets and responsibilities for councils and NHS, respectively, to address the situation.”