Older people hit by 'double whammy' of social care funding cuts

Community care and social care services for older people have faced a ‘double whammy’ of spending cuts over the past 10 years, according to research from Age UK.

Age UK is a national charity that works to improve living for older people and also runs home care agencies and care homes across the UK.

Their research has revealed spending on social care services for older people has fallen by a third over the last ten years, equivalent to £2.64bn less in funding. Since 2010 community care has also faced a £560m drop in spending since 2010, as nearly a quarter of costs have been cut.

Compared to hospital care, both primary and community care in the NHS have also experienced less growth in the number of GPs, with a 19 per cent increase in community and primary care doctors over a five year period compared to a 41 per cent increase in hospital GPs over the same time.

The number of district nurses, community matrons and nurse consultants in the community also fell between 2009 and 2014, despite the continual growth of the UK’s ageing population which is projected to see the number of over 65s double to around 19 million by 2050.

Age UK has described the country’s system for keeping people well at home as ‘weak’ and wants the Chancellor to commit to more investment in primary and community care in the next budget.

Caroline Abrahams, charity director at Age UK said: “Older people are being hit by a ‘double whammy’ of cuts to the community health and social care services many depend on to retain their independence. Far too often frail older people are without the help they need to stay well at home and end up having to go A&E instead. Others find themselves stranded in hospital because there aren’t enough social care and community health services to allow them to be safely discharged.

“But it doesn’t have to be like this. The solution is more investment in primary and community healthcare, and in social care, and we call on the Chancellor to commit to this in his Budget. A stronger system of community based health and social care would be good for older people, would enable our hospitals to work more effectively and would help the taxpayer too.”

Responding to the findings by Age UK, the, the Local Government Authority (LGA) has echoed Age UK’s calls for more funding and described the current health and social care system as ‘chronically’ underfunded.

Cllr Izzi Seccombe, chairman of the Local Government Association’s community wellbeing board, said: “Councils have protected our most vulnerable people as far as possible, often at the expense of other services, and we will continue to prioritise those most in need. However, the combined pressures of insufficient funding, growing demand, escalating costs and a 40 per cent cut to local government budgets across this parliament mean that despite councils’ best efforts they are having to make tough decisions about the care services they can provide.

“It is social care services that support elderly and vulnerable people to maintain their independence, live in their own community and stay out of hospital longer which is why investing in social care is a crucial part in alleviating the pressures on the health service.

“Government must invest money in protecting a system which will be there to look after people now and in the future, and it must commit to a long-term strategy to ensure that people get the care they need.”