Report to the Cabinet Member for Adult and Community Services
Report to the Leader of the County Council
Report submitted by: Executive Director of Adult and Community Services
Date: 26 September 2011
Part I Item No. 2
Electoral Division affected:
All
Invest to Save bid – Shared Lives Service
(Appendix 'A' refers)
Contact for further information:
Roger Hulme, (01772) 534286, Adult and Community Services Directorate.
[email protected]
Executive Summary
As part of the County Council's financial strategy to achieve significant and
sustainable savings, on 4 February 2010 Cabinet agreed that one off invest to save
funds of £6m be set aside from County Fund balances to support investment into
Adult Social Care.
This report seeks approval for a bid against this fund to expand the current Shared
Lives Service team. This will enable a significant increase in the number of people
with learning difficulties and to a lesser extent people with a physical disability and
older people being supported to live in normal family settings rather than in more
formal staff supported schemes. The proposal is that £665,800 be drawn down from
the invest to save fund over the next two years delivering estimated savings, after
meeting the cost of the expanded team, of between £766,000 and £2,038,000 per
annum. The aim is to have an additional 200 long term placements in the Shared
Lives Service. The level of savings achieved will depend upon the actual numbers of
people that can be supported in the expanded service, their level of disability and
current cost of support.
Recommendation
The Cabinet Member for Adult and Community Services, and the Leader of the
County Council are asked to approve the use of £665,800 from the invest to save
fund, made available to the Adult and Community Service Services, to provide for
the expansion of the Shared Lives Service team, the details of which are set out in
Appendix 'A' to this report.
Background and Advice
As part of the County Council's financial strategy to achieve significant and
sustainable savings, on 4 February 2010 Cabinet agreed that one off invest to save
-2funds of £6m be set aside from County Fund balances to support investment into
Adult Social Care. The fund's purpose is to reduce future year's financial pressures
by investing in developments that reduce the overall demand for social care services
through preventative, early intervention strategies and by developing more cost
effective ways of providing services. The demand for social care services is forecast
to rise considerably over the coming years, especially from those people with a
learning disability and the growth will be unaffordable unless alternative, more cost
effective methods of support can be developed.
One such proposal has been developed that seeks additional investment in the
Shared Lives Service team. The proposal will significantly reduce the current costs of
supporting a number of people with disabilities, especially those with a learning
disability and to a lesser extent people with a physical disability and older people.
The overall aim is to increase the number of people supported to live in normal
family settings, which is a very cost effective service, and to reduce those supported
in more expensive formal staff supported living schemes. A detailed report is
attached at Appendix 'A', which sets out the nature of the service, the staffing
implications of the proposal, the level of investment needed and the estimated range
of savings that are achievable.
In summary, the proposal is that £665,800 be drawn down from the invest to save
fund over the next two years to provide for an expanded Shared Lives Team, of up to
20 staff, with the aim to deliver savings, after meeting the cost of the expanded team,
of between £766,000 and £2,038,000 per annum. The overall aim is to provide for an
additional 200 long term placements supported through the Shared Lives Service.
The level of savings achieved will depend upon the actual numbers of people that
can be supported in the expanded service and their level of disability and therefore
current cost of support.
Consultations
N/A
Implications:
This item has the following implications, as indicated:
Risk management
Without the initial investment in the service, the costs of supporting people with a
disability will continue to rise at an unaffordable rate potentially leading to levels of
service to very vulnerable people being reduced.
Financial
The detailed financial implications are set out the attached report. In summary, for an
investment over two years of £665,800 a substantial reduction in net long term costs
estimated to be in the range of between £766,000 and £2,038,000 should be
achieved. This is after meeting the costs of the expanded team. An additional 200
long term placements in the Shared Live Service is the medium term objective. The
Shared Lives Team will be expanded on a phased basis to ensure that the
-3assumptions made around the level of net savings are proven. This is the first call
against the £6M invest to save fund and if approved would reduce the available fund
to £5,334,200.
Personnel
The staffing implications, which are set out in the attached report will be dealt with
under delegated powers by the Executive Director, subject to the funds being
approved.
Any representations made to the Cabinet Member prior to the issue being
considered in accordance with the Public Notice of Forward Plans
Name:
Organisation:
Comments:
N/A
Local Government (Access to Information) Act 1985
List of Background Papers
Paper
Date
Contact/Directorate/Tel
Report to Cabinet - Revenue
Budget 2010/11
4 February 2010
Gill Kilpatrick / County
Treasurer / 01772 534715
Reason for inclusion in Part II, if appropriate
N/A