BRADFORD Council is still to decide how it will spend a £2.2 million grant aimed at easing winter pressure on the NHS.

The district was awarded the £2,297,209 last month by the Department of Health and Social Care as part of a national push to to boost social care packages this winter, and prevent people from ending up in hospital at an already busy time of the year.

Yesterday the Bradford and Airedale Health and Wellbeing Board met in City Hall and received an update on the funding.

They heard that despite winter fast approaching, a decision has yet to be made on how the money will be spent.

Bev Maybury, Strategic Director for Health & Wellbeing at the Council, told the board: "We haven't yet finished work on this, we are continuing discussions with partners on how to use this money.

"Work on this is expected to be completed in the next few weeks.

"So far a lot of the ideas have been quite traditional, such as boosting home care.

"This funding offers us the chance to be a a bit more reflective of our vision of how we want to change our work in the community and do things in a different way."

When the £240 million national was announced in October, Health Secretary Matt Hancock said: "We will use this money to help people who don't need to be in hospital, but do need care, to get back home, into their communities, so we can then free up those vital hospital beds, and help more people get the hospital care they need."