Learning disability care crisis looms
26 July 2012
Here's something that will make uncomfortable reading for the
government, yet will surprise few - if anyone - working in the
learning disability sector: financial pressures on local authority
budgets and an alarming shortage of suitable social housing stock
are increasingly jeopardising the provision of support for adults
with learning disabilities. This is the conclusion of independent
healthcare intelligence provider Laing & Buisson in a report to
be published later this month. Indeed, this fits with the results
of the current poll on the LDTonline homepage. While it is only a very
small sample - 26 people having voted at the time of writing -
it nevertheless shows how care is being pared back across the
country. In the poll, only one person said their local authority
learning disability service provision had increased in recent
months, while 20 people - almost 77% - said it had been cut. The
remaining 19% said service provision had stayed the same.
This is further confirmation that cutbacks are now biting
hard among service users. It also highlights how, at best, services
are expected to battle on with the same funding they've had for the
last 12 months. Or at worst, such as in the case of People First Lambeth having their budgets
cut altogether in favour of other services. Laing & Buisson's
chief executive, William Laing, reinforced the sorry state of
affairs when he issued a stark warning to the government about what
the future may hold unless these issues are better recognised and
addressed. "There is an increasing likelihood that many providers
will go out of business. This would result in an even greater
crisis and shortage in specialist services provision." However,
there is one reason to maintain some optimism. The Commission on
Funding of Care and Support, led by economist Andrew Dilnot, has
been tasked with finding sustainable solutions to the challenges of
funding the care of people with disabilities - and his findings
could bring some hope to embattled service providers. Dilnot is due
to report back in July. When he does, everyone involved in learning
disability service provision - well, social care provision in its
entirety - will be watching. It is no exaggeration to say that
the future welfare of hundreds of thousands of people depend
on the outcomes of his findings.
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