More than £34 million will be spent trying to solve East Sussex's chronic bed-blocking crisis.

Care Services Minister Liam Byrne today announced a sum of £34.7 million to build four care centres for the elderly to stop frail patients taking up crucial bed space in hospitals.

East Sussex Hospitals NHS Trust, which runs Eastbourne District General Hospital and The Conquest Hospital in St Leonards, was forced to cancel 188 operations between April and June this year.

This was in part due to the number of elderly patients blocking beds because no nursing or care homes could be found for them.

Between January and March, 208 operations were cancelled.

It is estimated there are currently about 50 bed blockers in hospitals in Eastbourne and Hastings who could be moved to nursing homes.

East Sussex County Council successfully bid for the money from the Department of Health.

Director of adult social care Keith Hinkley said: "Delayed transfers of care (bed blocking) is still a significant problem in East Sussex. This investment provides a new way of delivering care and tackling the problem.

"We are trying to look to the future. This gives us a huge spring board in terms of capital spending and allows us to put in place the services we think we will need."

He said a growing elderly population, the need to modernise facilities and services and the high costs of creating and maintaining care homes meant there were currently not enough places for old people to go.

The extra money will pay for replacement care centres in Ridgewood Rise, Uckfield, Harvard Road, Ringmer, Mount Denys, Hastings and build a new centre in Rother.

Two centres will specialise in the care of people with dementia. All will include long term nursing care, sheltered accommodation, short term respite and rehabilitation care.

Mr Hinkley said the county council was drawing up a detailed business case which would go to tender next year. He said building work, which will be paid for through a Private Finance Initiative, was likely to start in late 2007 or early 2008 and would take about two years to complete.

He defended the county council's decision to spend £4 million on immediate elderly care provision last summer but agreed the latest money would allow more improvements to be made.

Councillor Bill Bentley, lead member for adult social care, said: "I'm very excited at this opportunity for the people of East Sussex.

"These new buildings and services will promote independence and improve quality of life for older people living in our community."

Mr Byrne said: "Older people are one of the most valuable resources any community has.

"After a lifetime of service to their community and their country, they deserve top quality care. My priority as minister for care services is to ensure every older person in the country is treated with dignity and respect."