Transcript CAA – an LGA perspective

Meeting the ‘PR’ challenge in adult social care
services: securing ‘Positive Reform’
Cllr Dr Gareth Barnard
Vice Chair, LGA Community Wellbeing Board
Monday 20 April 2009
fair funding
 National taxation does not fund a free system of care and nor is it funded
solely by central government
 Councils contribute, on average, 39% (about £5.3bn) to local social care
expenditure through council tax. Some councils contribute more than
80%
 The social care funding burden on council tax will almost treble from
£5.6bn to £16.6bn during 2010 – 2041
 We must consider new options for funding ‘the gap’ and be clear on what
individuals, local and central government will contribute
 We must consider the funding relationship between adult social care and
health
fair access
 FACS only works to an extent – because central funding is not keeping
pace with need, nearly 75% of councils can only afford to provide
individual care to people assessed with ‘substantial’ or ‘critical’ need
 Councils spend on average £1.63m on care that can be accessed
without a formal assessment
 We need a single, transferable needs assessment and financial
assessment
 This needs to be flexed locally; councils have the best knowledge of their
budgets, their citizens’ needs and the local infrastructure available to
support services
fair minimum standard
 Information, advice and advocacy – this would be very helpful for those
who do not qualify for council care and support
 The service must:
- be clearly communicated
- be high quality
- be accessible in the wider system, such as at GP surgeries
 What more could we include in the universal offer?
- Equipment and adaptations
- Reablement services
- Services to improve benefits take up
transforming adult social care
•
Transformation is not just about personalisation. We must also consider
other elements of work including:
•
Prevention: preventive ‘upstream’ interventions can delay or avoid the need
to admit people to care or nursing homes. And the POPPs work shows that
for every £1 spent on services in the community aimed at improving health
and wellbeing 73p will be saved on hospital bed days
•
Reablement: this can provide significant long-term benefits for individuals
particularly in terms of increasing independence at home
•
Technology: this has the potential to make a real difference for people who
need help with everyday living. Telecare is changing people’s lives;
preventing A&E admissions and reducing the cost of care packages for
example
conclusion
Tell us what you think by contacting us at:
[email protected]
Thank you