Our problem is your problem – social care and the NHS
Depressing stuff this as this story reveals:
Paul Carey-Kent, health and integration policy manager at CIPFA, the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy, reflects on the increasing melt-down in the social care sector and what it means for the NHS.
Since 2010, local government has had to grapple with significant funding reductions. As social care is the largest area of spending controlled at a local level, it is no surprise it has been severely affected. And despite both councils and the government introducing measures to support the sector, it is becoming increasingly clear that a melt-down is likely.
A recently published survey from the Association of Directors of Adult Social Services (ADASS) highlights just how tough things were in local government last year. There was a national net social care overspend of £168m, the first such recorded, and, also for the first time, a majority of the 152 councils involved overspent their adult social care budget.
The introduction of the National Living Wage has added to this pressure and is estimated to have increased council spending on social care by 1.2% this year (and will add £600m to costs in 2016/17). This, combined with an annual 3% increase in population of older people, has led to a 3% real terms cut. Councils have dealt with such challenges before, but it gets harder each year as many of the simpler cost reduction measures have already been taken.