A study has been made a number of recommendations designed to improve care for older people in Cumbria.

The report, entitled Together We Care, examines the delivery of health services to older people in the community, particularly those with complex needs, after they are discharged from hospital.

Among the recommendations identified in the report are exploring the possibility of paying carers to look after older people, better monitoring of older patients following hospital discharge and the development of targets to reduce emergency hospital admissions by five per cent.

The report was produced by Cumbria County Council's health and wellbeing scrutiny committee and the adult social care scrutiny panel and involved consultation with service users, carers, front line staff and senior management across the county.

It also identified several areas of concern including the high turnover of staff in the care industry.

Chair of the joint scrutiny panel Anne Bradshaw said: "The task group came up with some valuable recommendations. We found some good examples of innovative and effective joint care and the challenge is to roll that out across Cumbria."