Here’s something that will make uncomfortable reading for thegovernment, yet will surprise few – if anyone – working in thelearning disability sector: financial pressures on local authoritybudgets and an alarming shortage of suitable social housing stockare increasingly jeopardising the provision of support for adultswith learning disabilities. This is the conclusion of independenthealthcare intelligence provider Laing and Buisson in a report tobe published later this month. Indeed, this fits with the resultsof the current poll on the LDTonline homepage. While it is only a verysmall sample – 26 people having voted at the time of writing -it nevertheless shows how care is being pared back across thecountry. In the poll, only one person said their local authoritylearning disability service provision had increased in recentmonths, while 20 people – almost 77% – said it had been cut. Theremaining 19% said service provision had stayed the same.This is further confirmation that cutbacks are now bitinghard among service users. It also highlights how, at best, servicesare expected to battle on with the same funding they’ve had for thelast 12 months. Or at worst, such as in the case of People First Lambeth having their budgetscut altogether in favour of other services. Laing and Buisson’schief executive, William Laing, reinforced the sorry state ofaffairs when he issued a stark warning to the government about whatthe future may hold unless these issues are better recognised andaddressed. “There is an increasing likelihood that many providerswill go out of business. This would result in an even greatercrisis and shortage in specialist services provision.” However,there is one reason to maintain some optimism. The Commission onFunding of Care and Support, led by economist Andrew Dilnot, hasbeen tasked with finding sustainable solutions to the challenges offunding the care of people with disabilities – and his findingscould bring some hope to embattled service providers. Dilnot is dueto report back in July. When he does, everyone involved in learningdisability service provision – well, social care provision in itsentirety – will be watching. It is no exaggeration to say thatthe future welfare of hundreds of thousands of people dependon the outcomes of his findings.
