Council Will Pick Up Tab For Care

Cutting hospital beds and services will dump the responsibility of caring for vulnerable people on social services. That is the fear of cabinet member for adult social care, Cllr Sue Nolan, who supports the findings of a new survey which paints a pessimistic picture, should health bosses decide to axe departments at Ilford’s King George Hospital.

The Local Government Association (LGA) report found huge deficits – like the £16million at Barking, Havering and Redbridge NHS Hospitals Trust – are hurting social care services provided by councils.

Cllr Nolan said the government’s Fit For The Future review of services in outer north east London – which could see the borough’s only district hospital in Barley Lane, Goodmayes, lose departments like accident and emergency – will see Redbridge Council “pick up the tab”.

She said: “The lack of services locally will inevitably mean the local authority will have to foot the bill. If people are not staying in hospital for as long as they should do, because hospital beds have been cut, the council will have to pick up the pieces through social care.

“I think the NHS has been massively over-funded over the last few years compared to local authorities. Look at the deficit of Whipps Cross for example – can you imagine if a local authority went into a £29million deficit?”

The report revealed that 68 per cent of authorities surveyed, felt the financial deficits of NHS trusts had an adverse effect on their council.

LGA chairman Sandy Bruce-Lockhart said: “Health and social care are two sides of the same coin, and the financial crisis in health is having an impact on an already stretched council social care sector.”

BHR chief executive Mark Rees said: “Health bodies and the local authorities are working closely together through the Fit For The Future programme in planning the future of the health and social care service to the local population.

“It is not a question of shunting costs or responsibilities from one section to another, but of each one providing appropriate and effective services in a co-ordinated way, while meeting their statutory duties.”