MEASURES to prevent people experiencing delays due to hospital bed blocking have been hailed a success by council chiefs.

Fears that huge fines for delayed discharges would drain care budgets have proved unfounded, according to Durham County Council.

The authority's Social Care and Health had less than four delayed discharges a month in the first six months of 2004.

The Community Care Delayed Discharges Act 2003 introduced fines designed to bring an end to bed blocking and unnecessary admissions to hospital.

From January to June this year, there were 22 delayed discharges attributable to Social Care and Health attracting fines totalling £2,200.

Cabinet member for Strong, Healthy and Safe Communities, Councillor Christine Smith, said: "This means that reimbursement grant can be spent on providing new services rather than being wasted in fines.

"It's obviously early days but it is a huge relief that initial fears and predictions of excessive fines have not materialised.

"Together with the County Durham and Darlington Acute NHS Trust and the Primary Care Trusts (PCTs), we are working in the best interests of patients and clients to prevent undue delay in being discharged from hospital."

She added: "However, we're not complacent. With the Acute Trust and PCTs, we have commissioned research from Northumbria University to find out exactly what the patient experience is like."

Ruth Mather, clinical services manager for the Acute NHS Trust, said: "This is the best example of partnership working I have experienced.

"We have everyone around a table - representatives from the five Primary Care Trusts, Social Care and Health and the Acute Trust - to create a new approach.

"We now have a leaflet for the public telling them about changes we have made and a set of procedures. We have made tremendous progress."