Council Set To Ask MSP’s To Plug £1m Care Deficet

Highland Council’s continuing cash crisis was highlighted yesterday by the revelation of a projected social work overspend of almost £1million. The authority had managed to slash £2.1m from its housing and social work budget, but warned that any further reduction would seriously effect services.

Acting social work director Bill Alexander told councillors that savings had been made in energy costs and by a delay in filling job vacancies.

“We identified savings of £2.1m by July. We have cut £80,000 in overtime and £170,000 in staff travel costs. We are reducing the spend on some direct care packages,” he said.

He said a review of home care was nearing completion and that the budget gap remained at £961,000 because the council was “rowing against the tide”.

Mr Alexander explained: “There are two policy priorities where we have no option but to deliver. We have completed our review of free personal care. But the cost of the service is greater than the budget we have to fund it.

“The full year implication of removing people from hospital timeously is £914,000, and this will rise further.

“We are having clear success in meeting the policy commitments, but this goes against our attempts to balance the budget. To maintain these services we have to approach the council’s budget working group to help us balance the budget.” Housing and social work chairwoman Margaret Davidson said: “The pressures we face of having to find another £1.5m was raised at the budget working group. To cut services is unacceptable and to impose any more cuts will impact on services.

“There are still savings that can be made and that process will continue for the next 18 months.”

David Flear, the Caithness area social work chairman, suggested that they also approach the Scottish Executive for increased funding.

“The Highland area is leading the way nationally in reducing hospital stays and making these as short as possible. We have been commended by the executive for this,” he said.

“Patients do also face problems when their first choice of accommodation when they leave hospital can’t be met and they might have to go to another facility many miles away.”

Black Isle North councillor David Alston believed that more cooperative working between social work and health services would help reduce costs.

He said: “The results we have achieved on delayed discharge shows what can be achieved. We should also work together to stop people being sent to hospital inappropriately in the first place.

“There is also no reason why the two organisations can’t work even more closely so that the council can direct health service workers and the health service can manage council staff to avoid duplication of effort and expenditure.”

Badenoch West councillor Sheena Slimon said: “The cuts that we have to make get highlighted in the press, but the fact that we are also a caring and compassionate organisation doesn’t get a mention.

“We should also take the opportunity to remind the executive that if we are to continue delivering quality services, we need more money.”