A GOVERNMENT health handout this late in the year is not good enough according to Bolton’s health bosses.

News that Bolton would benefit from £1.3 million of funding for social care was welcomed by the hospital’s board at their meeting yesterday but the money is too late in the year for them to plan spending it properly, they say.

Jackie Njoroge, chair of the audit committee said this money, which is dished out annually, felt like a “knee-jerk reaction” and said: “This always feels like a short-term investment that never actually fixes the problem.”

Andy Ennis, chief operating officer, went further. He said: “Every government I’ve known, every colour keeps doing this last minute really short term to recruit properly, we would love to get it longer term. Short term means asking people to do extra or getting people in short term.”

Dr Jackie Bene, chief executive of Bolton NHS Foundation Trust said: “I think the whole country is pressured. That requires significantly more funding. Largely, I think we are in a good place. We have an opportunity to channel funds into the right places. Ultimately we will have an integrated partnership and work together for health and social care. That’s the anticipated national perspective but whether that will sort it out is debatable.”

The Department for Health allocated £1,390,102 to Bolton as part of a £240 million fund aimed at getting people out of hospital sooner. This fund was given to the council which will work with health chiefs including those at the hospital, to allocate the money where it is most needed.

When Mr Ennis spoke to The Bolton News earlier this year about winter pressures he said during the colder months keeping patients out of hospital or getting them to leave as soon as they were well enough was key to keeping the hospital moving and beds available.