A Welsh Assembly government minister has praised the reduction in the latest 'bed-blocking' figures in Pembrokeshire. Jane Hutt, minister for health and social services, said she was impressed that there had been a significant reduction in delayed transfers of care in the county over the past three months. This means that fewer patients have to stay in hospital in Pembrokeshire longer than they need to. She was told it was one of the outcomes of combining the functions of previously separate discharge teams from social services and Withybush Hospital. The minister made the comments while in Pembrokeshire to meet representatives from the Local Health Board, Pembrokeshire County Council, Pembrokeshire and Derwen NHS Trust, the Pembrokeshire Association of Voluntary Services (PAVS) and the Community Health Council (CHC). During the meeting, she also praised the health and social care partnership arrangements in Pembrokeshire. She said it was "an excellent example" of working together for the benefit of the public. Chris Martin, chairman of the Local Health Board, commented: "I was delighted that the minister had found time in her busy schedule to come to our county and experience in person the close working relationships of all our partners. "This co-operation, with the help of the public, will provide the platform for the modernisation of our services here in Pembrokeshire and in turn improve their health and wellbeing" County councillor Jim Codd, the authority's deputy cabinet member for health and wellbeing, said the minister's remarks were very well received at the meeting. "I think everyone was delighted that the minister was so impressed with what is happening in Pembrokeshire" he said. "It shows that joint working between the council, Local Health Boards, the Trust and the private and voluntary sectors is really working and improving services to the public."