Adult social care facing crisis in Torbay

BUDGET cuts could mean restricting social care for adults in Torbay to critical cases only, councillors have been told.

Faced with a predicted £1.5million overspend in adult social care only three months into the financial year, no assurances could be given that such a restriction could be avoided.

Mandy Seymour (pictured), from Torbay Care Trust, said the number of adults needing care was increasing as the population got older in Torbay, where the number of elderly is already above national average and by 2020 it is expected half of the population will be over 50.

“Most of our services are progressing well but we are experiencing huge capacity problems with the volume,” she told overview and scrutiny councillors. “We have waiting lists for things like occupational therapy and social work which we have not experienced for quite some time.”

It could be partly caused by increased awareness of services, Mrs Seymour said.

They had invested heavily in services designed to prevent or delay residents going into residential care. Demand for intermediate care services had increased 25 per cent.

The current overspend is £575,000, mostly in the area funded by Torbay Council such as domiciliary and residential care. Torbay already pays one of the lowest amounts for residential care, she said.

Fewer people are in residential care which has increased demand on services to keep people at home.

The only way costs could be cut was to reduce the volume of services provided or provide better value for money.

An action plan has been drawn up in consultation with the council’s policy development group, which meets in private, which will be finished next month. Steps have been taken to control spending, including making sure other alternatives to official social care were looked at.

“We will do everything we can to deliver a balanced budget for you, but it is hard,” she said.

UKIP councillor Julien Parrott said the annual payment agreed by Torbay Council to Torbay Care Trust had been unrealistic.

“I cannot believe the chief executive of the care trust didn’t know there were going to be problems almost once the budget was set,” he said.

“We are already talking about £575,000 overspend which we stand to pay from the council’s reserves. It’s extraordinary that that budget was accepted by the council. We knew this was going to happen.”

Lib Dem leader Steve Darling asked: “How close are we to only being able to offer certain services to people with critical care needs in this financial year?”

Mrs Seymour said the trust would not wish to move to that position.

“But as we move forward trying to achieve financial balance the council will have to look at more and more difficult decisions. You cannot ignore any options,” she said.

Members were warned if extra money had to be found it could affect other budgets within the council.

Cllr Christine Scouler said Torbay’s adult care services were well rated. “But how long we can continue to provide that I don’t know because we are going to have a very tough four years,” she added.

“If you don’t deal with people who have substantial needs their cases become critical in the end.

“Historically, the trust have never been given enough money. I think the settlement they did receive this year was particularly harsh. If it is too harsh they cannot help but go overspent. The care trust does its best.”

Committee chairman John Thomas reminded members that in the council meeting he had refused to accept the annual agreement with the trust because the budget papers had arrived so late.

He said: “We were give seven hours to look at it before we had to make a decision. You are quite understandably and demonstrably under severe stress in the budget and funds are very limited. The next two to three years is going to be worse. I want to know yes or yo, do you foresee within that period that cuts forced upon you are inevitably going to mean you are going to have to stop certain services?”

Mrs Seymour said: “There will be things we will need to stop.”