Audit Commission highlights problems with social care for mental health issues

The Audit Commission has pointed out problems councils are having in giving individual people their own budgets to spend on social care.

According to the watchdog, some councils need to make great efforts to meet targets that have been agreed for the country next year.

One of the problematic areas that the watchdog highlighted is social care for people with mental health issues.

The Audit Commission believes that people with mental health problems could miss out.

After hearing the report from the independent body, the Department of Health is supporting the reform.

“Introducing this radical change in the funding of social care is a challenging, and ongoing process,” Andy McKeon, managing director of health at the Audit Commission, said.

“The rationale behind personal budgets is not saving money, but empowering service users. Personal budgets mean personal choice.”

Financial management of personal budgets, which is the commission’s report, supports individuals being given control of buying their own services.

According to the body, it gives flexibility to people who would not otherwise have the means to choose their own care.