Carnegie reads that "FIFE COUNCIL’S social work service is still facing a “vigorous challenge” to avoid a budget overspend this financial year. That was the stark warning from department head Stephen Moore, who this week told councillors further action would have to be taken to address the funding gap. A number of containment measures have already been implemented after Mr Moore predicted in August the service would otherwise end the year £3.8 million in the red. That action, which includes savings of £600,000 in home care and an increase in home care charges, has reduced the predicted overspend to £1.96 million ..."
The article goes on to say that one of the cuts which the Council are considering is slowing down the speed at which elderly patients being discharged form hospitals are allocated a place in a residential care home, which basically means that Fife will see a return to "bed-blocking" in the Kingdom's hospitals as elderly patients aren't discharged when they should be, something which Fife Council and all of Scotland's other councils were given additional funding to do away with a few years ago.
Carnegie is concerned that after May's elections, and indeed probably well before it, someone took their eye off the ball and that the most vulnerable will be made to suffer. Whatever else Fife Council does to tackle the problem, allowing the return of bed blocking shouldn't even be on the table. It just transfers their problem onto other agencies and keeps old people in hospital when they don't need to be there.
