Warning to Edinburgh social care bosses over £29m proposed cuts

Health and social care bosses have been warned that being told to make more than £29 million of cuts in next year’s budget could stop “credible, realistic quality services” being delivered to patients across the Capital.

Independent living elderly woman peering out of the window

The Edinburgh Integration Joint Board (IJB) – the body tasked with delivering social care on behalf of the city council and NHS Lothian – has received funding offers from both organisations for its 2019-20 budget, which will be set at the end of March.

The city council’s offer requires the health and social care partnership to make £19.4m of cuts to next year’s budget – while NHS Lothian’s offer will mean an additional £9.7m of savings will have to be found.

Chief officer Judith Proctor has told board members in a report that the £29.1m of cuts, as things stand, would have a “significant, detrimental impact on outcomes for the people of Edinburgh” – and will not be recommending the council offer is accepted.

And a board member has warned that cuts out of the IJB’s hands will lead to poorer medical services for patients.

Kirsten Hey, council union representative, said: “I’m not sure it’s the responsibility of the IJB to set a savings programme – that seems to be coming from above. The risk is more that we might not be able to comply with the cuts that are demanded of us.

“The real risk is that the IJB may not be able to deliver credible, realistic quality services to the citizens who need them because of the cuts that are being imposed on us from higher up.

“What we are given to work with comes from above – the savings and the cuts. We are not setting those, we are living with the consequences of those.”

The IJB’s finance chief told board members that “things were moving very quickly” and that the board was hopeful more money could be handed over from the council following a £7m increase in funding from the Scottish Government.

Moira Pringle, chief finance officer of the IJB, said: “Neither of our partner organisations have set their budget.

“We have had positive discussions and based on them we are anticipating an improved offer from the council. However, that will still leave us with a challenging programme of savings to be delivered, which is going to require major redesign.”

Chairman of the board, Cllr Ricky Henderson, reassured IJB members that they would have more clarity over the financial position before the budget is set on March 28.

He added: “Obviously things are moving and internal discussions are ongoing. The picture will becomes clearer, whether it becomes more optimistic remains to be seen.”

If the IJB rejects the council’s funding offer, it is thought that negotiations would continue after the authority’s budget is set on February 21 – as was the case when Argyll and Bute Integration Joint Board turned down a funding offer last year.