Appendix B - Carers Funding final
Argyll and Bute Council · 29 March 2023
Back to Argyll and Bute HSCP Integration Joint Board (IJB) — 29 March 2023 and its agenda
Text extracted from the council's PDF. Layout and reading order may differ from the original.
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Version February 2020, to be reviewed 2022 Appendix B Equality Impact Assessment (1) Section 1: About the proposal Title of Proposal Identification of a proportionate budget saving for the 2023-24 budget to support the overall balanced budget of IJB. Intended outcome of proposal This proposal is intended to deliver £0.32m in recurring savings during 2023/24. The increase to funding by Scottish Government has now plateaued since implementation of the Carers Act (Scotland) 2016. There is an opportunity to work collaboratively with carer and carers support services to develop our future model of provision. We would seek to avoid the impacts of any service change while supporting collaborative development and an overall approach to achieving a balanced budget and future proofing for the long run. The saving is identified to allow current contractual commitments to be maintained within the financial year. We are studying the national strategy as the basis for updating the Argyll & Bute strategy which will be reviewed within this financial year. Description of proposal Unpaid carers provide care and support to family members, friends and neighbours. The people they care for may be affected by disability, physical or mental ill health, frailty and substance misuse. Unpaid carers are a key part of the structure of the delivery of social care in Argyll & Bute as such the priority of maintaining the service. The proposal is somewhat buffered by the annual investment for the last five years by Scottish Government, having benefited from a net increase each year from £1.1m in 2017/18 to £2.7m in 2023/24. The saving being applied does not impact on the core unpaid carer services and provides some stability in meeting need. Proposal is to reduce the carers budget by £320k in 2023/24 in discretionary funding to support the achievement of balanced budget. HSCP Strategic Priorities to which the proposal contributes "People in Argyll and Bute will live longer, heathier and independent lives" Lead officer details Name of lead officer Caroline Cherry Job title Head of Adult Services Health and Community Care Department Social Work – Adult Services
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Version February 2020, to be reviewed 2022 Appropriate officer details Name of appropriate officer Linda Currie Job title Assoc Director AHP Department Carers Sign-off of EIA Caroline Cherry Date of sign-off 20/03/2023 Who will deliver the proposal? Proposal is a budget reduction only. Section 2: Evidence used in the course of carrying out EIA Consultation / engagement The proposal will not change current core service delivery but may impact on cost related development over the 2023-24 financial year. Any unanticipated impacts will be monitored through the Carers Act Implementation Group. Engagement is identified as informing as there is no service reduction. As noted within the proposal future approach will be collaborative going into the next financial year. Data Budget and spend data has been used to develop the proposal. Other information The budget has been committed to service delivery. The proposal reduces flexibility and scope for service development but is in the context of prior year increases and there remains £2.336m available for spend on key services that support carers. It is acknowledged that service developments that would have been implemented would have enabled the HSCP to better support its un-paid carers. Gaps in evidence We are proposing a potential audit to review our implementation of the Carers Act in the financial year. Section 3: Impact of proposal Impact on service users: Negative No impact Positive Don’t know Protected characteristics: Age X Disability X Ethnicity X Sex X Gender reassignment X Marriage and Civil Partnership X Pregnancy and Maternity X Religion X Sexual Orientation X Fairer Scotland Duty: Mainland rural population X Island populations X Low income X Low wealth X Material deprivation X Area deprivation X Socio-economic background X Communities of place X
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Version February 2020, to be reviewed 2022 Negative No impact Positive Don’t know Communities of interest X If you have identified any negative impacts on service users, give more detail here: Reduction in discretionary funding may impact on the allocation of funding to non-core services. This will be monitored within the appropriate governance structures and reviewed within the budget allocation. If any ‘don’t knows’ have been identified, when will impacts on these groups be clear? As noted any unanticipated impacts will be monitored. How has ‘due regard’ been given to any negative impacts that have been identified? The Carers (Scotland) Act 2016 places a duty to provide support to carers based on the carers identified needs which meet local eligibility criteria. Argyll & Bute will maintain the core service within this financial year and review in year and as part of the planning for the next financial year. Due regard is given and no core service reduction is identified within this financial period to support continuity of service. Impact on service deliverers (including employees, volunteers etc.): Negative No impact Positive Don’t know Protected characteristics: Age X Disability X Ethnicity X Sex X Gender reassignment X Marriage and Civil Partnership X Pregnancy and Maternity X Religion X Sexual Orientation X Fairer Scotland Duty: Mainland rural population X Island populations X Low income X Low wealth X Material deprivation X Area deprivation X Socio-economic background X Communities of place X Communities of interest X If you have identified any negative impacts on service deliverers, give more detail here: No impact on current service but may impact capacity for cost related development in future If any ‘don’t knows’ have been identified, when will impacts on these groups be clear? #NA How has ‘due regard’ been given to any negative impacts that have been identified? #NA Section 4: Interdependencies Is this proposal likely to have any knock-on effects for any other activities carried out by or on behalf of the HSCP? No impact on current service but may impact capacity for development in future
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Version February 2020, to be reviewed 2022 Details of knock-on effects identified n/a Section 5: Monitoring and review Monitoring and review Allocated budget will be reduced with no impact on current service provision. Any unanticipated impacts will be reviewed through the appropriate governance structure.