Meeting the ‘PR’ challenge in adult social care services: securing ‘ P ositive R eform’ 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: Thank you