PRESS RELEASE
Issued by:
Councillor Councillor Pat Williams
Date of Issue: 16 March 2006
Contact: 0151 653 7166
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PRESS RELEASE |
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‘£1.76 BILLION BLACK HOLE' IN The NHS cash crisis, Government underfunding, and demographic changes have left a gaping £1.76 billion black hole in social care budgets across the country, a report out today has revealed. Liberal Democrat Chair of Wirral's Social Care and Health Select Committee said, “A £1.768 billion gap exists between what local authorities have to spend in the financial year and what it will cost to deliver services. “Here in Wirral we're facing the pressures of an ageing population and a higher than average number of adults with special care needs. “In addition more people are receiving social care rather than care in hospital and local councils are bearing the extra costs. “Great efforts have been made to increase efficiency and keep costs down but the number of people in need of care is increasing by the day. “We want to fulfil our obligations to those in need of care and support and we're not prepared to put people at risk by altering our eliligibility criteria. “Such action could lead to serious consequences and a higher level of care. “We have made a significant increase in the Social Service budget this year to cope with the identified pressures but it's high time a fair and sustainable system of funding was introduced." Click here for Wirral Council's report ‘Fair Access to Care Services' |