DR DARREN Kilroy, deputy medical director of the East Cheshire NHS Trust, is quoted in The Sunday Times as saying that uncaring relatives who refuse to care for their elderly are partly responsible for hospital bed blocking.

Apparently families are reluctant to care for their elderly relatives who could leave hospital but who still need care.

Maybe Dr Kilroy doesn't realise that many elderly patients have no near relatives and in many cases their closest relative may also be elderly, in poor health and incapable of undertaking a supporting role.

Possibly Dr Kilroy's remarks should be viewed in the wider context relating to the reduction in intermediate bed provision in Cheshire East and the recent closure of the last two Cheshire East Council-operated respite centres at Hollins View and Lincoln House.

Then it should come as no surprise that bed blocking has grown, though it has very little to do with uncaring families but directly with cuts in social service budgets and hospital trusts desperately trying to balance their books.

Mabel Taylor

Malvern Road

Knutsford