THE Government has stepped in to ease York's hospital bed blocking crisis. Its £189,000 payment will not solve the problem, but it should alleviate the worst effects.

That is good news for every elderly patient stuck in hospital awaiting a place in a nursing or residential home; for those on NHS waiting lists, who may now get into hospital sooner; for the hospital authorities, for whom blocked beds are a logistical nightmare; and for City of York Council, which is already predicting an overspend of £250,000 on care placements.

The Whitehall money comes at a critical time. Because of the council's cash crisis, the bed blocking problem has deepened in recent weeks. More than 40 people are stuck in hospital beds they do not need, because funding for home places has been rationed.

Left alone, the situation would have worsened with the weather. Last winter the NHS was nearly brought to a standstill. Today nurses announced contingency plans to avoid another winter crisis, but these could easily be sabotaged if dozens of hospital beds were blocked.

The new money gives council and health bosses a breathing space, but no more. Already council officials are worrying about when they will be expected to fund placements again.

This piecemeal approach to the problem cannot go on. To abandon elderly people for weeks on end in a hospital bed they no longer need strips them of dignity. It is unacceptable. Money must be found to fund the residential home places required.

The council does not have sufficient resources. Its social services department already receives less than those of comparable authorities. By sanctioning today's handout, the Government is admitting as much.

It is time a permanent solution was thrashed out. With an ageing population, bed blocking will only increase unless the Government authorises long-term funding.