AFFORDING QUALITY IN SOCIAL SERVICES IN THE GLOBAL ECONOMIC DOWNTURN Issues and possible ways forward

CONTEXT Quality in SS is an even bigger issue now e.g. domiciliary care Naturally there are differences across the EU e.g. Eastern Europe Personal experience with NGO Quality does not always cost more Quality - fixed (absolute) or relative? The Personalisation agenda in SS. Quality for all, not just people paying for their SS

THE QUALITY DRIVE Period of economic growth and personal prosperity = expectations of higher quality in goods and services in all sectors Standards and regulation Increased emphasis on citizens’ rights The move of SS from marginal to mainstream SS markets and effect of competition Formal requirements of commissioners Effect of personal budgets

COST PRESSURES Markets and competition. Contracts to cheapest bidders. Threat to quality? Severe constraints on government funding at all levels – budget deficits & longer term effect on public expenditure Reductions in funding for SS from non-government sources e.g. private companies

AFFORDING QUALITY IN SS Innovation, radicalism & focus on outcomes Strategy to accelerate externalising of (all?) publicly provided SS e.g. LATC’s The supermarket approach? Different levels of quality Even more cost-efficiency! E.g. more alternatives to costly residential care – but dangers Rationing – reduce eligibility for publicly funded SS

AFFORDING QUALITY IN SS (2) 6) Diversify funding sources i.e. increase types and amounts non-gov. funding Alternatives to labour intensive (costly) SS e.g. ‘Telecare’, self-assessment Change to ‘reablement’ – short term intensive support rather than long term (more expensive) domiciliary service