EMERGENCY talks are being held to ease the hospital bed blocking crisis in North Yorkshire, with winter pressures on the horizon.

Social services, health, and managers of private sector homes are discussing the most effective way to use a one-off payment of £750,000 from the government to speed up the discharges of elderly patients into residential care.

Mr Seamus Breen, head of community care in North Yorkshire, said social services expected to be £2.6m over budget by the end of the year because government funding did not cover the demands on the service. The latest allocation is a one-off pot of money.

He said: "We are looking very closely with the health authority and the primary care group at how we can respond to this crisis.

"We are holding talks this week with residential and nursing homes to find the best way of moving elderly patients more quickly.

"We have more people coming into the system faster through emergency admissions - but the allocations of money to ensure their discharges are not keeping pace."

Mrs Margaret Walker, of Middleton St George, near Darlington, complained to the county council this week that her mother, who suffers from Alzheimer's disease, was unable to move out of the Friarage hospital because social services could not pay its share of a place.

Mr Breen stressed: " We have every intention of paying for a place for this lady, but we have to prioritise. There may be someone living alone in the community in greater need."

Mrs Maria Tate, Northallerton NHS trust's liaison officer for older people and discharges, confirmed there was a problem with funding. But there was also no residential places for the elderly mentally ill in North Yorkshire at present.