Agenda item - Effect of Social Care Budget Reduction Response

RESOLVED: That the Health & Wellbeing Board note the contents of the report

6.1       The Executive Director, Health & Adult Social Care and Dr David Supple introduced the report which provided a full response to the deputation presented at the last meeting of the Board. In the context of a diminished national grant the Council’s budget had been rebalanced to support adult social care. While more resources would be welcome the Council and CCG always sought to use resources in the most efficient way possible. The deputation had stated that GPs found it difficult to make referrals into social care but the GPs that Officers had spoken to seemed to understand the pathways and were aware of the information published by the council. A potential future consideration would be whether a single point of access for health and social care would be the most effective way to meet the needs of patients and service users.

6.2       Councillor Page stated that he was concerned that only around a quarter of referrals to adult social care actually resulted in any care support service. This meant that the vast majority of patients GPs were referring were not being taken on by social care services. He stated that his understanding of the GP survey data presented in the deputation was not that GPs did not understand the pathway it was that patients were not being taken on by adult social care and that this was resulting in unnecessary hospitalisations.

6.3       The Executive Director, Health & Adult Social Care responded that there was a national framework for eligibility which was applied to all referrals. If an individual did not meet the criteria for adult social care they were signposted to alternative services provided by the Council or by community and third sector organisations.

6.4       Councillor Taylor stated that he was pleased to see the increase in funding for adult social care and welcomed the option for councils to levy the social care precept. He stated that he was concerned about the high number of referrals from the police which suggested a need for increased preventative work to stop individuals reaching crisis point where police involvement was necessary.

6.5       The Chair responded that despite the additional revenue generated by the social care precept 40% of the Council’s general fund was spent on adult social care which was not a sustainable financial position.

 6.6      The Executive Director, Health & Adult Social Care agreed that the number of referrals from the police was high and that work was being done to investigate this. It may be that this was a result of the nature of the demographics in the city with a high number of young people and homeless individuals being referred.

6.7       Councillor Moonan stated that it may be worthwhile to cross reference where a referral was from and the reasons for referral as this may highlight where resources should be allocated and where more joint working would be possible.

6.8       RESOLVED: That the Health & Wellbeing Board note the contents of the report