BOLTON North East MP, David Crausby has claimed that 64 patients were waiting for social care support on January 6, delaying their discharge from Royal Bolton Hospital.

Mr Crausby links this issue of “bed blocking” to the recent A/E crisis.This has been denied by Bolton Council and the hospital.

I would like to record my support for the hardworking social care staff at the Council who I believe are doing a brilliant job. I also applaud the Trust, CCG and Council for putting together a discharge team so patient needs can be assessed by one body.

This is clearly a positive and necessary step. I wonder whether Mr Crausby supports my call that Bolton Council should not replace its Chief Executive and the huge salary that goes with that position, allowing the approximate £200,000 saving to be invested in social care provision? I believe this to be a more appropriate use of tax payers money, protecting the most vulnerable in the town.

I do hope that Mr Crausby is not attempting to scaremonger on the issue of local NHS services. It would appear that Bolton North East’s MP has chosen to follow the lead of Ed Miliband to “weaponise” the NHS, and is regrettable that he has chosen to denigrate the efforts of those who work tirelessly in social care for both the NHS and Bolton Council.

James Daly

Conservative Party, Prospective Parliamentary Candidate

Bolton North East