An article compared the spending needs for local authority social services in Scotland and England. It concluded that either at least one country assessed needs with seriously flawed formulae, or the two countries had different conceptions of need.
Source: David King, Matthew Pashley and Rob Ball, 'Scotland's social services spending needs: an English view', Environment and Planning C: Government and Policy, Volume 25 Number 6
Links: Abstract
Date: 2007-Nov
The social care inspectorate examined the factors driving private investment in adult care. Banks and venture capitalists preferred investing in traditional care models – such as care homes – rather than more personalized services, such as extra care.
Source: Safe As Houses? What drives investment in social care?, Commission for Social Care Inspection (0845 015 0120)
Links: Report | CSCI press release | Community Care report
Date: 2007-Sep
An article described a theoretically based but pragmatic approach to identifying the welfare gain from government expenditure on social care, and illustrated an application in projecting the costs of long-term care used in the Wanless review of future needs of social care for older people in England.
Source: Ann Netten and Julien Forder, 'The costs of what? Measuring services and quality of care', Social Policy and Society, Volume 6 Issue 3
Links: Abstract
Date: 2007-Jul
A survey found that social care services were being squeezed as a result of National Health Service deficits. A survey of 95 local councils which ran social services found two-thirds said that NHS debts were affecting them. Almost a quarter (24 per cent) said that the local NHS was failing to fund agreed or joint services involving continuing care of elderly patients.
Source: Press release 15 March 2007, Local Government Association (020 7664 3000)
Links: LGA press release | NHS Confederation press release | BBC report | Guardian report | Community Care report
Date: 2007-Mar
Campaigners said that the system of paying for social care in England was not keeping pace with changing demographics and ever-increasing needs. They urged the government to develop a long-term plan to balance public and private responsibility for paying for services.
Source: Undervalued, Underfunded and Unfit: A fresh approach to social care for older people in England, Help the Aged (020 7278 1114)
Links: Report | Help the Aged press release
Date: 2007-Mar