Review of Adult Social Work & Social Care Contributions Policy
Overview
Perth & Kinross Council is undertaking a review its Adult Social Work & Social Care Contributions Policy. This policy is the basis on which the Council completes financial assessments in order to determine how much people are asked to pay towards their non-residential care and support services at home. These services include day care, telecare, supported living (including sheltered housing) and short breaks/flexible respite.
Proposals that could affect the amount some people contribute towards their care and support services are being considered. Views gathered from local people, groups, charities and organisations will influence the final decision on these proposals.
Consultation, consisting of a questionnaire and a series of drop-in sessions, was held or planned in March to gather feedback from people who either use, or support people these services.
Unfortunately, due to the Covid-19 pandemic and resulting lockdown restrictions our consultation process had to be paused. It has now been agreed to recommence the consultation process to allow everyone the opportunity to further comment on the proposed changes to the policy (see the "Give us Your Views" box at bottom of this page). If you have already taken part in this online consultation there is no need to resubmit your views, as your original submission will be considered.
To support the consultation a number of Facebook Q&A events will be held on the Your Community Perth and Kinross page:
- 11.00am on Thursday 27 August 2020
- 2.00pm on Wednesday 23 September 2020
- 1.00pm on Monday 26 October 2020
There is no requirement to sign up for these sessions but if you would like to submit any questions in advance, please email these to HCCAssessment&Charging@pkc.gov.uk.
Our Assessment & Charging Team will also be holding online open video sessions through Microsoft Teams at the following dates/times:
- 5.30pm on Thursday 10 September 2020
- 6.00pm on Tuesday 15 September 2020
- 12.00pm on Wednesday 16 September 2020
- 1.00pm on Saturday 19 September 2020
- 10.00am on Monday 21 September 2020
If you would like to take part in any of these public online sessions, please provide your email address to our Assessment & Charging Team on 07768 733725 or HCCAssessment&Charging@pkc.gov.uk confirming which session you would like to attend. An invite with joining instructions will then be sent to you.
Why your views matter
Perth & Kinross Council implemented its current adult social work and social care Contributions Policy in February 2014 in preparation for the introduction of the Self-Directed Support (Scotland) Act in April 2014. The Contributions Policy covers all adult care and support services received by a person at home, such as homecare, day services, transport, short-breaks, telecare and sheltered housing support. You can find out more about more about these services here.
The Council considered revising the current policy in 2018 and at the request of clients and organisations, deferred implementation to consider a wider range of options and undertake more detailed work.
The policy, which covers around 3,300 people at any time has now been in place for five years and we want to make sure that it is still fit-for-purpose.
The Council currently contributes an average of 93.6% of the cost of care for adults receiving chargeable care and support services. Demand for services continues to increase. Introducing a policy where people who can afford it pay a bit more for their services will help ensure everyone continues to receive support and reduce the risk of services being reduced.
As part of the review several potential changes have been identified to bring the Council’s policy more in line with national guidance on charging for non-residential care and support services.
This consultation outlines these potential changes and the financial impact they would have on both the people using our services and the Council.
The Council has previously been more generous than the national guidance recommends. However, at a time when there is pressure on our budgets and demand for care and support services is continuing to increase, it is proposed that the Council moves to be more in-line with the rest of Scotland.
Any additional income raised through a change of policy would be used by the Health & Social Care Partnership to sustain the current level of essential care and support services.
Care services will continue to be heavily subsidised by the Council. If all the proposals in this consultation were approved you can see from these graphics that the Council will still be paying the majority of care charges for clients, at an average of 89.8% of the total cost.
It is anticipated that if all the proposed changes were implemented, it would generate an additional £1.2million of income that would be used to provide Health and Social Care Services. This is the equivalent of any one of the following:
- 24 permanent fully-funded places in the Council’s Care Homes (Dalweem and Parkdale)
- 37 permanent fully-funded places in a private/voluntary residential care home
- 32 permanent fully-funded places in a private/voluntary nursing care home
- 70,000 hours of urban care at home
- 64,000 hours of rural care at home
- 58,000 hours of enhanced care at home
NB: Where costings/savings are quoted against any review option, these are calculated based on the assumption that only that single change is implemented. Should more than one change be implemented, the costing/saving may not be an exact sum of the figures quoted as some changes will impact on the calculation of other options and the costings/savings have been calculated using current client information.
All current clients will be advised, in writing, of this consultation exercise to allow them the opportunity to provide individual feedback on the changes that will potentially affect them.
This consultation is being carried out by Perth & Kinross Council. Any information you give us will be anonymous and will not be used for any other purpose than described above.
What happens next
You may be aware that over the last year we have been undertaking a review of our Contributions Policy for Non-Residential Care and Support Services, including this consultation. The review paused for a short while during the initial stages of Covid Pandemic.
Whilst restarted last summer, the pandemic continues to have a sustained impact on the capacity of officers to bring the review to conclusion. Our most recent work to support the Covid Vaccination Programme is having a particular impact on capacity. For this reason, the decision was taken by Perth & Kinross Council at its meeting on 10 March 2021 to defer implementation of the review until April 2022.
We fully appreciate the uncertainty that this creates. I need to also acknowledge that further uncertainty arises from the recently published Independent Review of Adult Social Care which recommends abolition of charging for Non-Residential Care Services. These recommendations, whilst accepted in full by the Scottish Parliament will not be considered again for potential implementation until after the May Scottish Parliamentary Elections.
A letter has been sent to everyone currently in receipt of non-residential care and/or support services or their financial representatives where this was appropriate. It was also sent to a number of local organisations who have been involved throughout the consultation period.
We wil update this page to provide a further update once the Council have considered all matters further. In the meantime should you have any concerns then please do not hesitate to contact Colin Barnett, Senior Financial Assessment Officer on 01738 476914. Alternatively, you can email HCCAssessment&Charging@pkc.gov.uk.
Events
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Facebook Q&A
From 27 Aug 2020 at 11:00 to 27 Aug 2020 at 13:00The event will be held on the Your Community Perth and Kinross page: https://www.facebook.com/YourCommunityPK. There is no requirement to sign up for this session but if you would like to submit any questions in advance, please email these to HCCAssessment&Charging@pkc.gov.uk.
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Online open video sessions through Microsoft Teams
From 10 Sep 2020 at 17:30 to 10 Sep 2020 at 18:30If you would like to take part in this public online session, please provide your email address to our Assessment & Charging Team on 07768 733725 or HCCAssessment&Charging@pkc.gov.uk confirming the session date. An invite with joining instructions will then be sent to you.
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Online open video sessions through Microsoft Teams
From 15 Sep 2020 at 18:00 to 15 Sep 2020 at 19:00If you would like to take part in this public online session, please provide your email address to our Assessment & Charging Team on 07768 733725 or HCCAssessment&Charging@pkc.gov.uk confirming the session date. An invite with joining instructions will then be sent to you.
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Online open video sessions through Microsoft Teams
From 16 Sep 2020 at 12:00 to 16 Sep 2020 at 13:00If you would like to take part in this public online session, please provide your email address to our Assessment & Charging Team on 07768 733725 or HCCAssessment&Charging@pkc.gov.uk confirming the session date. An invite with joining instructions will then be sent to you.
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Online open video sessions through Microsoft Teams
From 19 Sep 2020 at 13:00 to 19 Sep 2020 at 14:00If you would like to take part in this public online session, please provide your email address to our Assessment & Charging Team on 07768 733725 or HCCAssessment&Charging@pkc.gov.uk confirming the session date. An invite with joining instructions will then be sent to you.
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Online open video sessions through Microsoft Teams
From 21 Sep 2020 at 10:00 to 21 Sep 2020 at 11:00If you would like to take part in this public online session, please provide your email address to our Assessment & Charging Team on 07768 733725 or HCCAssessment&Charging@pkc.gov.uk confirming the session date. An invite with joining instructions will then be sent to you.
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Facebook Q&A
From 23 Sep 2020 at 14:00 to 23 Sep 2020 at 15:00The event will be held on the Your Community Perth and Kinross page: https://www.facebook.com/YourCommunityPK. There is no requirement to sign up for this session but if you would like to submit any questions in advance, please email these to HCCAssessment&Charging@pkc.gov.uk.
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Facebook Q&A
From 26 Oct 2020 at 13:00 to 26 Oct 2020 at 14:00The event will be held on the Your Community Perth and Kinross page: https://www.facebook.com/YourCommunityPK. There is no requirement to sign up for this session but if you would like to submit any questions in advance, please email these to HCCAssessment&Charging@pkc.gov.uk.
Areas
- All Perth & Kinross
Audiences
- Any Audience
Interests
- Adults and Older People
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