Camden Council is to review care packages for people who need extra help from social services as it tries to save up to £2.5m to plug a £40m budget gap.
Overall, the council is looking to make £27.7m savings over the next three years.
Social care staff will look at the smallest care packages, costing £100 a week, and the most expensive ones, which cost more than £1,000, to see if they are still appropriate.
They will look at how to make the care and support some people get in their own homes more effective.
Budget proposals were under the spotlight of Camden’s health and adult social care scrutiny committee on Tuesday (January 17)
Calling for community engagement to keep residents and their carers informed, Liberal Democrat councillor Judy Dixey said : “It’s a stunning amount of savings.”
The council’s head of adult social care, Jess McGregor, said the reviews were not very different from usual, but will look at whether people’s needs have increased or reduced.
Another £450,000 will be trimmed from adult social care budgets as Camden council faces a £40 million budget gap by 2025/26.
The savings, found by accountants, come from areas where the department has underspent – but town hall bosses warn it is becoming harder to trim budgets without affecting services.
Cllr Anna Wright, cabinet member for health, well-being and adult social care, said: “Nobody’s celebrating having to make cuts. Now we are at the stage where cuts hurt. The situation we face is not a happy one.”
She praised staff for finding ways to save money without huge impacts on residents.
Camden is getting £13.2 million government funding for social care in the 2023/24 financial year, which will be used to address existing pressures.
The budget also includes a 4.5 per cent inflation increase for care costs. With high inflation rates, the council is expecting care providers will ask for increases “considerably above 4.5 per cent”.
Among other identified savings in Camden is £180,000 in 2024, with some people with mental health needs getting home care instead of living in homes.
Demand for care accommodation dropped during the pandemic but the demand is increasing.
Ms McGregor said: “We need to ensure we can support people to live well
and longer in their own home with the right care and support.”
There is likely to be an increase in demand for accommodation and more complex needs over the next decade.
The council commissions a variety of accommodation. Ms McGregor added: “Even with this capacity and range of services, we cannot always find the right place for people to live with the right care and support.”
The council is looking at the way it delivers extra care as it faces these challenges.
Its 38-bedroom Charlie Ratchford Court in Chalk Farm is designed to help people with extra needs live independent lives while on-site staff are there for support and chefs prepare meals everyday.
The council is looking at offering more care like this.
It is also looking at improving accommodation for people with complex mental health needs so they can move back into Camden.
While saving money, it would take two years to develop the plans.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here