Issue - meetings

This report sets out the financial context and demographic background of the challenges to the Council’s future delivery of social care to older people, together with a summary of the approaches that could be made to these challenges, and seeks approval to consult with stakeholders on the responses that can be made.

Advice of the Advisory Panel

That the Executive Members for Adult Social Services be advised to:

1. Note the report
2. Approve the instigation of a wide consultation on the options covered in the report.

Decision of the Executive Member for Adult Social Services

RESOLVED:             That the advice of the Advisory Panel be accepted and endorsed.

REASON:                  Because it is necessary to consider all options for opportunities for savings and reinvestment in line with the Long Term Commissioning Strategy.

Members considered a report that set out how York’s expenditure on social care for older people compared to other similar councils, what we could predict would be the impact on adult social care in the next fifteen years and a summary of the approaches that could be made to these challenges. The report also sought Members’ approval for consultation to take place with stakeholders on the responses that could be made.

Information from the York Long Term Commissioning Strategy for Older People (YLTCS) suggested that by 2020 there would be an increase in the over 65 population in York of 31% (from 30,500 in 2001 to 40,000 in 2020), and within this number, an increase in the over 85s of 60%, (from 3,700 to 6,000). It was noted that persons over the age of 85 would be more likely to need support from health and social care services. All the evidence, locally and nationally, is that offering timely practical help, and encouraging health and well being, will keep people active and independent for longer.

Members discussed the report and suggested that there would be advances in medicine and technological advances such as telemedicine and smart flats, that would become cheaper and more available in future years.

Members discussed joint working with the Primary Care Trust (PCT) and felt that the more progress that was made with this the better, especially in terms of supporting people in their own homes.

Members also discussed the following points:

·        The fact that it was less than a year since the service had been restructured.

·        Pros and cons of private sector providers.

·        New advances in technology (smart flats, telemedicine).

·        The fact that technological advances such as telemedicine could not replace human interaction.

·        The fact that the private sector were ‘marching ahead’ and many people were attracted by superior looking houses and services.

·        The working age adult population, in proportion, will drop and there will be less people to work and financially support the elderly.

·        The last few years of a person’s life would be the ones where they would be likely to need the most intensive care

Advice of the Advisory Panel

That the Executive Members for Adult Social Services be advised to:

1. Note the report
2. Approve the instigation of a wide consultation on the options covered in the report.

Decision of the Executive Member for Adult Social Services

RESOLVED:             That the advice of the Advisory Panel be accepted and endorsed.

REASON:                  Because it is necessary to consider all options for opportunities for savings and reinvestment in line with the Long Term Commissioning Strategy.