A CASH boost of £1.3 million has been given to Bolton to help the health services during the winter months.

Keeping the flow of patients in hospital moving is critical and people being sicker for longer is generally what backs up hospitals over winter.

This money, part of a £240 million pot shared between councils, is to help get patients back home quicker where they will recover faster.

The council has welcomed the additional funding but Cllr Debbie Newall, cabinet member for adult social care and health, has attacked the government for its "head in the sand" attitude.

A spokesman for Bolton Council said: “The council welcomes this injection of resources at this time whilst we await decisions on the longer-term funding and sustainability of adult social care.

“We are working closely with our health partners to consider how best this additional short-term resource can support our local plans for the winter, and the increases in demand that are already being experienced in Bolton.

“A key area we are working on is a ‘home first’ approach, enabling new ways of working to support people to avoid an admission to hospital and to return home as soon as they are able.

“This will include working with our care providers and intermediate care services to meet the increases in demand over the winter months.

“The local health and care partnership will be considering plans over the coming weeks and decisions on the spending will be presented to the executive cabinet member in due course.”

Cllr Newall highlighted ongoing research by the Local Government Association (LGA) to kick-start the debate on how to pay for adult social care.

Cllr Newall said: “We totally endorse the LGA’s efforts to gather responses from local authorities and stakeholders with their consultation document.

“We have given a comprehensive response and hope that this will encourage the government to finally address the issue and fund adult social care adequately.

“We can only meet our responsibilities as outlined in the Care Act of 2014 with proper funding in place.

“The government’s ‘head in the sand’ attitude must stop if we are to meet the challenge of looking after our elderly and vulnerable citizens.”

The government's Health and Social Care Minister Matt Hancock intends the money to be used for home care packages, help patients regain mobility and for home adaptations.

Mr Hancock said: “I want to help the NHS through this winter.

“I have already provided funding for hospitals to make upgrades to their buildings to deal with pressures this winter, and I am making an extra £240 million available to councils to pay for social care packages this winter to support our NHS.

“We will use this money to help people who don’t need to be in hospital, but do need care, to get back home, into their communities, so we can then free up those vital hospital beds, and help more people get the hospital care they need.”