Keeping patients out of hospitals ‘could collapse social services’ Report warns city in peril from NHS plan

PLANS to save the NHS millions could end up causing the collapse in the city’s social care system, a report has warned.

The Birmingham City Council report into the new Sustainability and Transformation Plans (STP) for health services in the city concludes that, instead of closer working, the NHS risks side-lining social care and pushing more costs onto hard-up councils.

It has already been revealed that health and social care services in Birmingham and Solihull face a £712 million deficit by 2021 unless massive cuts in services and efficiencies are delivered.

So the NHS is aiming to keep more patients out of expensive hospital wards and accident and emergency departments by providing better access to GP and community services, including social care.

But the city council health scrutiny committee report says there is no indication of how social services will be able to afford this. It concludes: “The STP presents a significant risk that, through fewer hospital admissions and shorter hospital stays, it will move care and costs from the NHS to the social care system without making any provision for increased home-care or social care resources, which could actually increase the gap and thus worsen the immediate crisis in social care.”

Social services are already under severe strain due to an ageing population requiring more care and years of austerity cuts to council funding. Currently 11,897 adults receive long term social care funded by the city council.

There was widespread outcry from councils that Chancellor Philip Hammond offered no extra funding for social services in last month’s Autumn Statement.

The report states: “The fact that the relationship between the health and social care system is currently less than equal is graphically illustrated by the fact there is nothing in the plan about closing the financial gap currently faced by the social care system. It is no exaggeration to say the combination of pressures outlined in this report mean the social care system is in danger of collapse.

“This will only add to the strain on hospitals and GPs unless the funding gap in social care is prioritised. Prioritising investment in social care will have the added benefit of relieving the demand pressure on the NHS.”

The report says that instead the NHS needs to recognise the role social care and public health, which is also funded by the city council, can play in keeping people active in the community and away from expensive hospital treatment.

The report also highlights a lack of co-ordination between the Black Country and Birmingham STPs which could leave people living in west and north Birmingham without services.