Date: 13 November 2006 20:07

COST OF CARING RISES DRAMATICALLY

The demand for support services and the cost of caring for adults with 
disabilities has risen dramatically  - and demand continues to grow, new 
figures show.

A report to the Health and Adult Social Care Scrutiny Committee revealed 
that £23 million was being spent on care packages for 763 people with 
learning disabilities at an average cost of around £30,000 a year each - but 
some intensive packages cost in excess of £100,000 annually.

Care and support services are provided by the Cambridgeshire Learning 
Disability Partnership which includes County Council Adult Support Services, 
health and care providers and the increasing demand was a major contributor 
to a current County Council overspend.

The Committee heard that the biggest area of pressure on the LDP budget was 
caused by young people transferring from child to adult support services 
(known as transition) and the number of new arrivals in Cambridgeshire where 
a member of the family has learning disabilities - new arrivals include 
first time Cambridgeshire house buyers and military families who are 
relocated to the county.

Difficulty in anticipating demand for Physical and Sensory Impairment 
Services because of the unpredictable impact of accidents or deteriorating 
long-term conditions, also added significantly to the cost of providing 
services, the Committee was told.

By the end of 2005/06 figures show that 126 more people, of whom 25 had come 
through transition, had been receiving LDP packages than the number at the 
beginning of the year - and in the current year another 48 people will need 
support and services because of transition.

Changes in family circumstances - illness, family breakdown or bereavement - 
can also have a massive impact on the level of support and services needed 
by a person with disabilities.

County Council Cabinet Member for Environment and Community Services, 
Councillor John Reynolds, said: "Our budgets are always set with an element 
of contingency funding built in to deal with any unexpected demand for 
services and support - but the demand for Social Care support is notoriously 
difficult to predict and that problem is compounded by Cambridgeshire's 
position as the fastest growing county in the country which inevitably has a 
significant impact on our services and makes precisely predicting the 
necessary funding almost impossible.

The first class medical care available in Cambridgeshire, with improved life 
expectancy for babies with severe disabilities also eventually impacted on 
care and support services provided by the County Council and partner 
agencies, added Councillor Reynolds.

The County Council is currently considering a range of spending reductions 
and assessing all areas of its budget to avoid wherever possible making cuts 
to front line care services.

Councillor Reynolds added: "Despite the Council 's very tight financial 
position we will continue to support the most vulnerable people in our 
community.

John Reynolds