Health and Social Care Partnership - Recovery Plan
Argyll and Bute Council · 26 June 2025
Back to Argyll and Bute Council — 26 June 2025 and its agenda
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ARGYLL AND BUTE COUNCIL COUNCIL FINANCIAL SERVICES 26 JUNE 2025 HEALTH AND SOCIAL CARE PARTNERSHIP – RECOVERY PLAN 1. INTRODUCTION 1.1 This report follows on from the report to Policy and Resources Committee on 8 May that advised that the Integrated Joint Board (IJB) Chief Officer and Chief Financial Officer were preparing a financial recovery plan in light of savings still to be identified to balance the Social Work budget in financial year 2025-26. 2. RECOMMENDATIONS 2.1 It is recommended that Council consider the contents of this report. 3. DETAIL 3.1 The Social Work budget as approved by the IJB in March 2025 had a balance of savings still to be identified amounting to £0.500m. Officers have now prepared a financial recovery plan and this was presented to the Integrated Joint Board on 28 May, copy of report is attached in Appendix 1. 3.2 The table below summarises the proposals, estimated values and highlights those proposals that require further stakeholder engagement and integrated impact assessments: Saving Saving £’000 Recurring Description EEngagement & EQIA Additional Fostering Income 100 TBC Income from other LAs for fostering service. May be a recurring saving. Operational – Impact Assessment not required Direct Payment Recovery 50 No One-off income from review of DP balances where clients have not been able to spend on their assessed care needs. Operational – Impact Assessment not required SLT Vacancy Savings 25 No Non-recurring vacancy saving from gaps in SLT. Operational – Impact Assessment not required
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Remove vacant Handyperson Post - KCC 31 TBC May require some additional support with room changeovers to be provided from other locations. Operational – Impact Assessment not required Return 2 voids Lorn Campbell Court 5 10 Vacant flats and Lorn Campbell Court to be handed back to the landlord as the HSCP has being covering the cost of the voids for some months. A review of the service is on-going. Operational – Impact Assessment not required Day Service Review 50 TBC Nature of saving to be confirmed, review is currently underway and due to report shortly. The saving will either be from a reduced service offer based on the evidence provided in the review or from increased charging. Detail will be provided upon completion of the review. Consultation is being carried out as part of the review process. Depending upon the recommendations further engagement and consultation may be required. An Integrated Impact Assessment will be prepared as part of the review documentation. Transport services 25 118 Commence negotiations to scale back community transport provision. This would be a change in approach by the HSCP to cease / reduce funding community transport for social care services. Notice will be provided timeously. Although this is a non-statutory service, the HSCP will commence a consultation process to inform an Impact Assessment before taking steps to reduce / end community transport services.
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Ceiling of Care 80 TBC The HSCP is developing a proposal to place a ceiling upon the number of hours of care normally offered by the care at home service. A consultation and engagement process will commence in June to inform an Integrated Impact Assessment to inform the proposal and decision-making process. Agency Care @ Home - Oban 90 TBC Four posts have been removed from efficiency wok relating to homecare packages saving up to £7k per week inc. accommodation and travel. Some of this saving is required to contribute to other savings targets. Operational – Impact Assessment not required Internal Care Home Efficiency 44 TBC Review expensive provision and aim to either reduce costs or increase charges / review shift patterns and agency staffing. Operational – Impact Assessment not required Total 500 3.3 The IJB: • endorsed the recovery actions outlined in the submitted report; • noted that the submitted report sat alongside other work on the delivery of approved savings and development of further options; • requested integrated impact assessments and that appropriate community engagement be carried out in respect of relevant proposals; and • noted that a further report would be provided to the September meeting of the Board. 3.4 In line with the Scheme of Integration the recovery plan is now presented to the Council for consideration. 3.5 The HSCP financial position and recovery plan will be closely monitored during the year and updates provided to the Policy and Resources Committee via the regular budget
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monitoring pack. 4. CONCLUSION 4.1 The HSCP is facing an extremely challenging financial position. The IJB have approved a financial recovery plan to the value of £0.500m at their meeting on 28 May 2025. This recovery plan was required due to unidentified savings at the time of setting the HSCP budget in March 2025. 4.2 The HSCP financial position and recovery plan will be closely monitored. Should the recovery plan not be successful the Council may be faced with having to make interim funds available which would most likely have to come from the Council’s General Fund. 5. IMPLICATIONS 5.1 Policy The Scheme of Integration sets out the financial arrangements for the IJB and partner bodies. 5.2 Financial The IJB have approved a financial recovery plan amounting to £0.500m. The position will be closely monitored. 5.3 Legal None. 5.4 HR HSCP recovery plan as implications for HR that the HSCP will require to address. 5.5 5.6 5.7 5.8 Customer Service Risk Climate Change Fairer Scotland Duty The IJB have requested that community engagement be carried out in respect of relevant proposals. There is a risk that the HSCP will revert to the Council for an interim fund payment if there is an overspend at the year end. None arising from this report. Integrated Impact Assessments have been requested for proposals in the recovery plan. 5.9 Equalities – Protected Characteristics Integrated Impact Assessments have been requested for proposals in the recovery plan. 5.10 Consumer Duty Integrated Impact Assessments have been requested for proposals in the recovery plan. 5.11 Island Communities Integrated Impact Assessments have been requested for proposals in the recovery plan. 5.12 Children’s Rights and Wellbeing Integrated Impact Assessments have been requested for proposals in the recovery plan.
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Kirsty Flanagan Executive Director/Section 95 Officer 2 June 2025 Councillor Ross Moreland, Policy Lead for Finance and Commercial Services Councillor Dougie McFadzean, Policy Lead for Care Services APPENDICES Appendix 1 – Social Work / Social Care Financial Recovery