HEALTH chiefs in East Lancashire have been told they do not need to find a solution to the NHS beds crisis - because one already exists on their doorsteps.

The Lancashire Care Association said today that extra hospital beds were not needed because there was room in independent sector nursing homes.

Association chairman Frank Hessey has told health bosses that independent nursing and residential care homes offer a better quality of life for patients than NHS geriatric wards at a third of the cost.

Last week the Government recommended that more than 5,000 extra hospital beds should be created over the next five years in a bid to ensure patients were cared for properly.

Blackburn, Hyndburn and Ribble Valley Health Trust chairman Ian Woolley has said extra beds would be made available in the new "super" hospital being created at the Queen's Park Hospital site in Blackburn.

But Mr Hessey said: "Many homes already offer specialised rehabilitation services exactly matching the minister's vision and research shows they do this very well.

"With around 5,000 beds available nationally, to suggest that investing private finance or national lottery money in new wards or buildings is puzzling when suitable alternatives already exist in the independent sector and are available to take the pressure off the NHS today rather than in three or four years time. Mr Hessey said that in Lancashire a number of NHS trusts have small scale contracts with nursing homes to help with winter pressures and the rehabilitation of elderly people.

He added: "With private facilities and hotel style services, patients consistently say how much they prefer staying in a private care home than in a hospital bed.

"Surely it is time for public and private sectors to work together and create real partnerships, putting the needs of our older people and best value for taxpayers money before any phobias about who should provide the service."

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