One in ten councils have cut adult social care spending by more than a quarter according to a report by the Institute for Fiscal Studies.
Commenting on the news Liberal Democrat Shadow Health Secretary Norman Lamb says: “The truth is that over the last few years services which help to prevent ill health and deterioration of health have been cut significantly, resulting in more people being admitted to hospital. This just heaps more pressure on acute hospitals.
“The Budget settlement fell short of what's required to reverse this trend. There will be more people let down by the system.
“These figures also show that the picture around the country is highly variable with some councils making disastrous cuts to desperately needed services.
“This reinforces the need for the Government to grasp the nettle and establish a national conversation over how we can secure a modern and efficient NHS and care system.
“I have called on the Government to bring together a cross-party convention to look in the round at how we deliver and fund health and social care services.
“We owe it to the people who rely on these services, and the hard working staff who are battling to deliver them.”
Also responding to the report, Margaret Willcox, president elect of the Association of Directors of Adult Social Services (ADASS), says: “This report reflects the severity of government funding cuts which have put adult social care at a point of crisis.
“Councils have protected spending on adult social care as much as possible but significant pressures caused by people living longer and with increased complex needs, and the welcome National Living Wage means the ability to identify further savings have all but run out.
“The £2 billion for adult social care for the next three years will help plug the funding gap for adult social but this is only a short-term measure. Adult social care needs to be a national priority and this means finding a long-term solution to tackle the funding crisis to help provide care and support for elderly and disabled people and their families, both now and for future generations.
“The forthcoming social care green paper provides a critical opportunity to future-proof adult social care and we look forward to working with providers, charities and independent think tanks to help the Government achieve this vital goal for the benefit of society as a whole.”
