It never rains but it pours

by Claire Nurden, Research and Policy officer

Now the dust has begun to settle after the spending review, it seems that the effects will be more far-reaching and complex than many first thought. A broader understanding of the context that specific cuts will made in is essential to get a full grasp of the potential impact, and an idea of how devastating they could be for the most vulnerable older people in our society.

We already know that half of the £2billion earmarked for social care is not ring-fenced and could well be used to plug the gaps in other council funding. But questions are also now being raised about the other half – allocated as part of the health budget. While the NHS has been promised protection, in reality it has seen the smallest budget increase for fifteen years - and that in the face of the challenge of a rapidly ageing population and increasing need. What guarantees are there that the money for social care will be safe when demands for healthcare are rising?

And demand is indeed the issue here. We face a situation where unmet need resulting from cuts in social care and local services such as housing and leisure will drive demand in the health service, and vice versa. All of these services are inter-dependent and must be seen as such when gauging the full consequences of the cuts. Better integration is needed to properly weather the storm, but who will deliver this when cuts to middle-management make change a daunting prospect? It never rains but it pours...