FINALLY someone is seizing the nettle of the bed-blocking scandal in this county but we ask why it is that effectively an ‘outsider’ in Dr Stephen Richards is taking the initiative?

Dr Richards, a GP who has worked for 22 years in the south of Oxfordshire, must be commended for stepping in and forming a new body to reduce the number of people unable to be discharged from hospital despite being well enough because the system to look after them is not in place.

The county is listed by the Government as being the second worst in the country for bed-blocking and no doubt, much like the Oxford Mail for many months now, Dr Richards has become frustrated that no real improvement has been affected by Oxfordshire County Council, NHS Oxfordshire and the hospitals.

So he’s putting his reputation and credibility on the line by tackling a task that is not his responsibility. He just wants to improve how this community’s public services function.

How this approach casts further shame on those organisations paid by the taxpayer to address bed-blocking. For months now they have wriggled and squirmed when confronted with a series of figures that show little or no progress has been made, prompting us to continually question why they just seem unable to take responsibility and tackle the problem.

We acknowledge, as Dr Richards does, there is no silver bullet. It is complicated but it merely being difficult is no excuse for organisational inertia.

We are heartened the council and health bodies have signed up to Dr Richards’ body but a suspicion is they may be relieved someone else has stepped into the void of their seeming inaction.