The Minister's colleague, the Minister for Health and Children, is well aware of the pressures – not only financial, but also in terms of accommodation – on the health service. The Minister for Health and Children is also aware of the number of beds taken up by people who could and should be cared for at a less intensive level than in hospital, which would free up resources for more appropriate and urgent purposes. This could be achieved by moving some patients to nursing homes at half the cost or moving them back to their own homes, or those of relatives, at very little cost compared to the expense of hospital beds. The carer's allowance has the potential to solve a significant part of the hospital accommodation problem. One reason it might not have been implemented is the necessity for cross-Department co-operation.