REDDITCH may be in line for a cash handout to help tackle bed blocking.

A £713,000 Government grant has been secured to tackle delayed discharge of hospital patients into Social Services care.

The money, yet to be allocated by the county council, could see more private care home places or more home care staff.

In Redditch there are 121 residential home places and 146 nursing home places available.

Redditch and Bromsgrove CHC health watchdog chief officer Moira Morris said the money would help but more is needed.

Recent figures showed there were 51 delayed discharges within the Worcestershire NHS Acute Hospitals NHS Trust which manages the Alexandra Hospital.

Worcestershire County Council spends £20 million a year on Social Services but is not deemed to have a severe bed-blocking problem.