An extra £1 million is to be pumped into care services in Bromley to ease pressures brought on by winter.

Councillors were told last night of the authority’s plan to provide the influx of cash which is expected to combat stress traditionally experienced during the colder months.

The council has £1m available for winter from its Better Care Fund (budgets combined from the council and and the CCG), and a further £628k and £992k have been earmarked by the clinical commissioning group (the body that oversees local healthcare) and King’s College Hospital respectively to deal with pressure.

The money will be spent by the council ensuring there is additional capacity for patients to be seen in the right settings.

Speaking last night Ade Adetosoye, the deputy chief executive of the council, told councillors: “We have a £1m investment for activities that will be put in place during the winter months.

“That’s something that is very positive for the residents of Bromley. It’s an investment that’s going to enable us to have additional staff over the winter period, and going to allow us to work out care packages for residents during this period and access our local providers as well.”

Increasing pressure on healthcare services has been seen nationally for the last few years.

Health and social care secretary Matt Hancock revealed earlier this month £145m will be handed to NHS trusts to improve emergency care ahead of the cold period.

Last winter, more patients than ever before visited Princess Royal University Hospital.

From October 2017 to March, the number of emergency attendances at the PRUH was 102,100.

The council’s winter plan will be formally signed off at a meeting next Thursday.

According to council documents: “Over the past few years, the local health and social care system has felt the increased pressure during the winter months, with most health and social care services seeing a surge of activity and demand with a more complex range of needs challenged by seasonal presentations like Flu and norovirus.

“The additional pressures on the health and social care system, which are primarily from older and frail people, during the winter months presents a challenging landscape.”