Cabinet members are set to give final approval next week (Feb 5) to a new strategy for adult social care across Leicestershire.
The strategy sets out a four-year plan to address rising demand for support at a time when the county council has to save £26m next year - the highest saving it has to make in a single year.
In adult social care alone, a total of £7 million in 2016-17 has to be saved, while a rising demand for social care from older people and people with disabilities means the council has to invest £5.5 million.
The two per cent precept introduced by the Government won’t cover the council’s full cost for adult social care and these are unprecedented financial challenges.
Person:Councillor Dave Houseman, the county council's cabinet member for adult social care
“As we announced in our draft budget, we're proposing to make more savings to areas of adult social care, but protecting people at risk in our society remains a priority.”
The strategy, if approved, will see the county council working more closely with NHS partners - and to deliver services in a different way.
The focus is on what help is available now, including re-ablement services, so that people can remain independent for as long as possible and share the support of families and communities.
The findings from a recent consultation will also be discussed. It showed that 83 per cent of the respondents strongly agree with the outline proposals which, says the report, gives the council a mandate to implement the strategy from April.
Cabinet will discuss the adult social care strategy when it meets at 2pm on February 5. The meeting can be viewed online and a recording will be available from the following afternoon onwards.