KCC to cut £18m from care budget for frail and elderly
by political editor Paul Francis
Social services chiefs are expected to press ahead with
cutting more than £18m from the budget for care for the elderly and
vulnerable despite coming under fire from charities, voluntary
groups and others.
Kent County Council is facing a backlash over its plans, with
warnings that the savings cannot be made without hitting the
quality of care for thousands of people.
A meeting held to discuss the savings held as part of the
council's recent consultation and attended by more than 50
organisations saw many openly sceptical about the authority's claim
that services would be unaffected.
Many were concerned the cuts were being implemented when
demand for services was increasing because of the rise in the
elderly population.
A report due to be presented to KCC's Conservative cabinet next
week also reveals that many felt the plans for more preventative
care was wrong and "might lead to some individuals not receiving
the most appropriate care."
T
he
politician in charge of adult social care admitted the cuts would
not be easy, but the council had few alternatives.
Cllr Graham Gibbens (Con), cabinet member for adult care, said:
"I have some concerns myself. It is not going to be easy.
"The public do seem to accept that carrying on as we are is
unsustainable. Just increasing the council tax is not acceptable -
we have to look at other ways of doing it."
Asked whether KCC would be re-thinking the scale of the planned
savings, he said: "The £18.2m is the figure we are working to at
the moment.
"I do believe that is realisitic and one we can achieve. We have
spoken with outside people and nobody has said that what we are
looking at is undeliverable."
The council says it will work much more closely with its
partners in the NHS on preventative schemes to avoid the need for
people to have to go into hospital
KCC spends £355.6m on adult care, of which £158.6m is spent on
nursing and residential care with a further £44.3m going on
care for people living in their own homes, known as
domiciliary care.
30/11/12
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