A NORFOLK Hospital's long running bed blocking problem could be tackled in time for the winter through a new action plan, it was announced on Friday. A report from the James Paget University Hospital revealed that the targets for removing patients who no longer need treatment have not been meet for the past 14 months and look set to be missed by the end of the year.

A NORFOLK Hospital's long running bed blocking problem could be tackled in time for the winter through a new action plan, it was announced on Friday.

A report from the James Paget University Hospital revealed that the targets for removing patients who no longer need treatment have not been meet for the past 14 months and look set to be missed by the end of the year.

Hospital governors heard that NHS Yarmouth and Waveney care trust, which is responsible for community care, had exceeded permissible levels of having 10 missed delayed transfers of care of patients from the JPH to community hospital or their homes.

In the light of the trust's target failures triggering an area of concern rating, the JPH said a round of care monitoring and assessment improvements, including appointing discharge co-ordinators and mental health liaison officers could help alleviate the problem in time for winter.

Despite the pledge governor Hugh Sturzaker criticised the long running problem by saying: “I was just wondering if we are going to see an improvement.”

In reply JHP chief executive Wendy Slaney said: “This has always been an issue and will continue to be an issue.”

The performance management report showed that the JPH was on track to meet the vast majority of its targets, although there were concerns over theatre resources, staff sickness levels and the choose and book project.