1. ADASS Resource Reduction Board
John Jackson
Co-Chair ADASS Resources Network

2. Scope of this presentation
Financial pressures we face
Key points from the submission to the spending review
What can we do about it – areas to explore?
What can we do about it – working together

3. Financial Pressures We Face
Treasury has asked Government Departments to look at spending reductions of up to 25%
However, some services may be protected which means that other services will have to find more
What happens to spending on adult social care is not only down to DH but also DCLG and local authorities
It also depends on other funding sources: specific grants; Supporting People; benefits
Adult social care faces significant demographic pressures – 4% per annum
This means that we may be asked to find savings of 40% per annum by 2014/15

4. Adult Social Care submission to the Spending Review - context
Jointly agreed between ADASS and LGA as part of overall local government submission
Details can be found at:
Submission explains the funding of adult social care, performance record, our track record on making efficiencies, demographic pressures, workforce issues, potential for further efficiencies
Key section is (correctly entitled) Tough Choices

5. Adult Social Care submission to the Spending Review – some key facts
Total spending in 2008/9 = £16.6 billion
Income from client contributions = £2.2 billion
Net spending = £14.4 billion
In contrast, total spending on health, social care and relevant benefits = £120 billion
Only 12% comes from adult social care
Demographic pressures = 4% per annum
Survey: adult social care achieved 2.2% efficiency savings last year; 3.0% expected this year

6. Adult Social Care submission to the Spending Review – key arguments
Already meeting the expectations of the Government: services provided externally; significant use of the voluntary & community sector; focus on personal choice; radical change happening
We should be expected to deliver efficiency savings of 3% each year although this will be tough. May involve increased charging and restricting eligibility
Volunteering can help but not with intimate personal care
Not possible to achieve savings of 25 – 40%
No one has shown how that might be done
But there is scope to make bigger savings by looking at health and social care in the round
How the White Paper is implemented is crucial – prescribed pooling of budgets and joint commissioning?

7. What can we do about it – areas to explore?
Comprehensive agenda set out in Use of Resources in Adult Social Care
Examples cited in Submission
DH focus: telecare, crisis or rapid response, stopping using expensive inhouse services, more efficient assessment and care management, reablement
Health/social care: falls, continence, dementia, loneliness, stroke
Andrew Kerslake highlighting the importance of much wider variety of housing options

8. What can we do about it – working together
We do not have the right to despair. We will let down vulnerable people if we do.
We are going to have to be even more creative than we have been to date. It is possible to make genuine efficiency savings even if you are very efficient already
Isolated thinking will not be good enough
We need to engage with service users, carers and providers
We are in this together and must work together if we are to manage this as best we can
Resource Reduction Board – ideas and volunteers urgently needed

10. Local Government House
ADASS Business Unit
Local Government House
Smith Square
London SW1P 3HZ
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