Social care cuts concerns (From York Press)
Get in touch: send your photos, videos, news & views by texting YORK to 80360 or send an email»
Social care cuts concerns
7:45am Thursday 21st March 2013 in News
CONCERNS are growing about the impact of social-care cuts as figures show many of those affected have seen their needs increase.
City of York Council’s cabinet approved plans to stop its community care service – which includes help with paperwork, bathing, shopping and preparing meals – to 184 residents with “moderate” needs last August, to save £390,000 a year.
Figures obtained by the authority’s Liberal Democrat group reveal that, at the end of February, half of these residents had been moved from the “moderate” category to “substantial” following assessments. The Lib Dems said any savings were likely to be cancelled out.
“The use of ‘moderate’ hides the fact this support helped people carry out basic daily tasks,” said Coun Keith Aspden, Lib-Dem spokesman for adult social services.
“We warned any short-term financial gains should be set against the financial and social costs of more people falling into the ‘substantial’ and ‘critical’ needs bands because of worsening health. Six months down the line, we have been proved correct. I hope the cabinet can look again at their decision and the impact it has had.”
Coun Tracey Simpson-Laing, cabinet member for health, housing and adult social services, said people could still get support from the council, the community and voluntary sector.
“Savings will be made while ensuring support continues to be provided to those most in need. Our £6 million commitment to invest in adult social care last month, not supported by the Lib Dems, shows the value we place on care for residents most in need.”
Comments(4)
working class tory
says...
11:32am Thu 21 Mar 13
Pigeon's are coming home to roost for the residents of York.
PKH
says...
2:53pm Thu 21 Mar 13
working class tory wrote:You forgot to mention the reduction in funds the council is receiving from the Tory/Libdem government, which has a bearing on the issue.
York Labour - increasing taxes and cutting services. Their manifesto was full of platitudes and they are failing on all their promises apart from removing the purple bus, which was simple anyway.
Pigeon's are coming home to roost for the residents of York.
working class tory
says...
3:20pm Thu 21 Mar 13
PKH wrote:Surely, essential services should come before 'arts barges', free citywide wifi and loans of twenty-million for reinvigoration &c. &c. They are committing to vanity projects before sticking to their manifesto pledges.
working class tory wrote:You forgot to mention the reduction in funds the council is receiving from the Tory/Libdem government, which has a bearing on the issue.
York Labour - increasing taxes and cutting services. Their manifesto was full of platitudes and they are failing on all their promises apart from removing the purple bus, which was simple anyway.
Pigeon's are coming home to roost for the residents of York.
Broken promises; they knew the reductions were coming when they published their manifesto.
They have been 'weighed, measured and found wanting'.
only human says...
9:22am Thu 21 Mar 13
Its a shameful situation where people are banded into catergories of care needs based on a series of tick box questionaires and a quick home visit.
Whilst some families are available to help out their elderly relatives this isnt always the case.
With the ever increaing number of horror stories over neglect and abuse on the news and surely we should be making more effort to increase levels of care and support for the most vulnerable in society not putting them into boxes and removing care at the starting level thus making a persons health deteriorate rapidly to a point where they then end up bed blocking at local hospital level before being reassessed and re banded into even higher care needs.
With care homes places being in short supply and the so called superhomes project in limbo in York we are storing up problems for the future.
The sensible way forward would be for more sheltered housing type complexes to be created where peoples care needs can be catered for , as and when their needs change. Early intervention for medical problems is the key to maintaining an independent lifestyle for as long as physically and psychologically possible.
Treat the whole person not just the problem that has arisen.
I know of someone who was rebanded as not needing help bathing.They fell whilst getting out of the bath,broke a hip and arm,bed blocked for 12 weeks whilst waiting for revised care assessment,went into respite and rehab placement for 6 weeks and then back home with even greater needs than originally given.
This is just one exmple of the dangers of presumtion of capabilities and all for the sake of a 30 minute weekly care call to assist with bathing.
Another person had ther shoping call removed,eventually ran out of food as they didnt feel able to access the shops in the ice and snow,this triggered a referral to safeguarding adults which in turn triggered a care review and the shopping call was reinstated along with more calls per day to ensure the persons nutritional needs were being met.
So we can see how these cuts are a false economy as the impact and fallout can not only be devastaing to the individuals concerned but a massive cost to the local economy.
Do the maths councillors !!!!!!