Liverpool and Wirral are in the top 10 council areas which paid the most in bed blocking fines over the last three years, according to a BBC survey.

The councils were fined for delaying discharges as they were unable to provide adequate facilities for patients on leaving hospital.

Liverpool was ranked as the sixth worst offender in the country and Wirral came in tenth place.

Wirral paid £335,900 in fines - but say significant improvements have been made and it is "now one of best performing local authorities in the region for supporting discharges from hospital. "

Councillor Anne McArdle, Wirral’s cabinet member for social care, said: "Wirral’s adult social services department has been working very closely with the local hospital trust and NHS Wirral to minimise delayed discharges.

"The council and its partners fund and support a number of schemes which support people in recovery after they leave hospital."

She said these include rehabilitation beds, convalescence beds, home based reablement services and voluntary sector support schemes.

Councillor McArdle continued: "The figures are also averaged out, and don’t reflect natural fluctuations in demand for hospital beds which may impact on discharges.

"For example during the winter period, when partners work closely to minimise any avoidable delays that might occur.

"From regional data supplied by NHS Northwest, Wirral is now one of best performing local authorities in the region for supporting discharges from hospital.

"This significant improvement has been achieved through a focused programme of work with health, the prioritisation of resources, investment in reablement and rehabilitation services, and close working with the personal support providers to ensure care is made available promptly on discharge."

Liverpool City Council had to pay fines of £562,000.

Hertfordshire County Council paid the most with a total fee of £1,962,205.