Local Government Association calls for five-year commitment to health and social care funding

A £3.8bn scheme aimed at integrating health and social care services needs more clarity over its long-term future, local councils have said.

The Local Government Association (LGA) has called on ministers to commit to the Better Care Fund until 2020 "to avoid the care system spiralling towards a deeper crisis".

According to the LGA, a lack of clarity about the future of health and social care funding could risk the early efforts to integrate services and it is urging the Government to commit to a joint fund until 2020 that will allow councils and health partners to continue working closely together to provide the best services in the longer-term.

Sir Merrick Cockell, LGA chairman, said: “It is indisputable that in order to improve the lives of older and vulnerable people in this country there is a need for significant changes to the way that social care is funded.

“A five-year commitment to join up funding between health and social care would provide the certainty and stability required to transform care services for the people who need and rely on them.”

The government says it has made clear to councils that the Better Care Fund is intended to last longer than one year.

The Better Care Fund aims to cut hospital admissions in England and allow more home treatment. The scheme is also designed to allow greater support to people being discharged from hospital, prevent unnecessary admissions at weekends and reduce the number of people in residential care.

Local areas have already pooled £5.4bn in local Better Care Fund plans for 2015/16, 40 per cent more than the £3.8bn minimum required by the Department of Health. The plans, which will integrate health and social care money, will come into effect in April 2015 and are being agreed by local authorities and health partners.

The NHS will contribute £1.9bn a year to the fund to support joined-up working between health and social care services.