Responding to a National Audit Office report on the “Health and
Social Care Interface”, which assesses the challenges preventing
health and social care from working together effectively, Cllr
Izzi Seccombe, Chairman of the Local Government Association’s
Community Wellbeing Board, said:
“It is good that the report recognises that despite the
significant financial pressure and the uncertainty of future
funding affecting councils, they continue to protect adult social
care. However, the lack of funding for care and support is making
it increasingly difficult for local authorities to plan
effectively to bring together health and social care around the
person.
“The focus on both short-term funding crises and reducing
pressure on acute and inpatient services, rather than prevention
and wider community support work by councils, is hindering the
ability to transform health and social care services. Government
needs to tackle immediate pressures and plug the £3.5 billion
funding gap facing adult social care by 2025 to help better
manage demands on councils and hospitals.
“It was a huge disappointment that the Government postponed it
green paper until the autumn. As a result, the LGA will be
publishing its own green paper on adult social care, which will
outline options for funding and the care and support model of
joined-up care.
“Integration has the potential to transform services to provide
better coordinated care for people who need it - providing it
puts people at the heart of decisions which is essential if we
are to improve the quality of individuals’ lives.
“We support the report’s recognition that Health and Wellbeing
Boards should continue to be key part of governance
arrangements.”
