Adult Social Care Overspending Of More Than £800,000 Forecast By Council

An ‘overspend’ of hundreds of thousands of pounds on adult social care (ASC) is being forecast by the Isle of Wight Council, new figures show.

County Hall is currently predicting an £815,971 ASC budget end of year overspend, with a performance report showing the number of people supported by the services is on the rise.

The findings have been published in advance of an adult social care, public health and housing needs committee meeting on Thursday evening.

Councillors are set to review the performance of the adult social care and housing needs directorate – the biggest department within the Island’s local authority with an annual budget of over £74 million.

A committee report says:

“In addition to delivering the council’s statutory duties in relation to adult social care and housing needs the directorate provides activities that promote, improve and maintain independence for Island residents as well as supporting local people to live well, in the place that they call home in the communities that they have chosen.

“In general, the Key Performance Indicators are showing an upward trend in the number of people who are supported by the directorate and a decrease in the time people have to wait to access care and support.

“Key challenges in performance continue to be in access to occupational therapy assessments and a service improvement plan is in place.

“At the current time, the adult social care budget is forecasting an end of year overspend of £815,971.

“This is linked to increases in the unit price of residential and nursing care linked to the acuity and complexity of people’s needs as well as increasing provider fees and charges together with the ongoing higher cost of supporting people leaving hospital.”

The adult social care, public health and housing needs committee is due to meet on Thursday evening at 5pm.