Fife’s health and council bosses are at loggerheads over a home care funding crisis.
Council leader David Ross claimed that NHS Fife is refusing to hand over an agreed £3 million to help pay for vital care in the community to keep frail elderly people out of hospital.
The local authority is facing a massive £8m overspend in its social work service for older people and has warned that unless more money is forthcoming, services may be reserved only for those in the greatest need.
It was made clear, however, that nobody would knowingly be left at an unacceptable level of risk.
Ninety-nine people are stuck in hospital in Fife as they wait for funding to be arranged to allow them to move to a care home or another community setting.
Councillor Andrew Rodger, who is also a member of the NHS Fife board, called on health chiefs to fulfil their financial responsibilities.
“People are stuck in hospital and costs are rising all the time,” he said. “This council has stepped up to the plate and we are asking them to step up.”
Council leader David Ross said it actually costs NHS Fife more to keep people in hospital and community beds than it would to give the local authority the money it was due to provide community care.
“It’s a nonsense the way the whole system is running,” he said.
“We are being left with the consequences of this in budgetary terms whilst we continue to try to provide the care people need.”
Mr Ross said the budget for adults and older people had been set at £158m at the start of the year.
That amount was based on the assumption that the council would receive an extra £3m from the Scottish Government and an agreement that NHS Fife would provide £1.5m towards delayed discharges and a further £1.5m to deal with winter pressures.
It is now clear there will be no more money from Holyrood and negotiations are continuing with NHS Fife.
Mr Ross added: “If the money isn’t there do we start to pull back on the service, which would be very difficult and not something I’d like to contemplate, or do we find money elsewhere to put in?”
NHS Fife deputy chief executive Rona King said: “NHS Fife continues to work closely with Fife Council in ensuring that we are able to meet the needs of the population of Fife.”