Health and social care managers are to be asked what they are doing about the escalating problem of bed-blocking at two of the biggest hospitals in Sussex.

The number of East Sussex Hospitals NHS Trust patients fit for discharge but with nowhere to go peaked at 101 last month.

Bed blocking has been an ongoing problem at the trust, which runs the Eastbourne District General Hospital and Conquest Hospital, St Leonards.

Most of those occupying beds needlessly are patients awaiting funding from East Sussex social services to place them in care and nursing homes.

Delays in securing the funding is leading to patients clogging hospital beds.

Trust chairman John Lewis has described bed blocking at the trust as the worst in the country.

Mr Lewis and trust chief executive Kim Hodgson will face questions from East Sussex County Council's health overview and scrutiny committee at Eastbourne Town Hall on Friday.

Committee chairman Bob Lacey said: "HOSC is able to ask the key questions of those in charge and get some answers.

"We particularly want to know about what barriers there are to resolving the ongoing issue of bed blocking and what can and is being done to improve the situation."

Eastbourne Tory MP Nigel Waterson this month questioned Prime Minister Tony Blair about what he intends to do about the problems at the trust.

Mr Blair declined to commit further funds to bail out the trust, saying it was important additional money is subject to proper systems of accountability.

Other issues to face discussion at the HOSC meeting will be the recent Healthcare Commission report into allegations of bullying and harrasment at the trust.

The commission was brought in to investigate the claims and it received 46 complaints from staff about their managers or other colleagues.

Thirty-five staff alleged they had been bullied or harassed while the remainder claimed they had been treated unfairly. An action plan is being implemented.

Plans to centralise key services, including the maternity and paediatric departments in single locations, will also come up for discussion.

The meeting starts at 4pm.