IT’S been reported nationally there are 8,500 patients trapped in hospital beds, costing the NHS £1 billion a year because the Tories have slashed social care budgets by £3 billion since 2010.

About 300,000 fewer older people are now getting crucial help they need than when David Cameron came to power.

Locally, City of York Council has to cut its services by £6.5 million. The leaders of the council say they want to protect vulnerable people.

With care homes closing and £650,000 cut over two years in a push to keep people out of residential care and nursing care, what this probably means is the council aren’t paying towards you staying in a care home, you are at home paying for your own care.

Hospitals and councils need to get together to find some halfway house where bed blockers can go, freeing up the hospital for new patients.

The council needs to be honest with the public and tell us what we have to pay to have proper social care.

The government should also be held to account. This is the face of austerity – hospitals blocked by patients ready to leave but unable to receive the care they need because of the cuts.

Chris Mangham, Lindsey Avenue, Acomb, York