Care changes to end 'over-reliance' on services

Hayley Eccles, deputy director for adult care at Lincolnshire County Council

Too many people in Lincolnshire are becoming "over-reliant on social care" and are losing their independence too early, care managers have said.

Lincolnshire County Council said its own services had been "risk averse" and it was moving away from a system that had "over-supported" people.

Hayley Eccles, deputy director for adult care, said services were "not there to wrap people in cotton wool" and would encourage people to delay accessing care.

Melanie Weatherley, who chairs the Lincolnshire Care Association, said promoting independence was "right" but would "require a big cultural change".

A report presented to the council's Adult Care and Public Health Scrutiny Committee stated that "prescribing more care than is required can lead people to become more dependent on care, causing their independence and health to decline".

It said the Care Act 2014 required authorities to encourage people to "take positive risks" so they did not lose their skills and confidence.

Future assessments would be on a "strength-based approach", which focused on what someone could do for themselves and how they might look to other forms of help, such as from family and communities.

Mrs Eccles said "over-support has been done with the best of intentions, but we don't want to reduce people's skills or minimise their independence".

She denied that it was about saving money, but did acknowledge that the service was under increasing financial pressure.

Culture shift

Ms Weatherley said: "The aims are right, but I don't think it's quite as simple as the council is making it out to be.

"This is a huge culture shift because we want to look after vulnerable people and we tend not to want them to take risks, even though we take risks every day.

"But it's going to take time, there's no quick fix and we need to ask if there is enough support elsewhere, such as services in the community, that enable people to access what they need."

Martin Samuels, executive director for adult care and community wellbeing, said the council spent about £370m on adult social care each year - with £220m coming from the council's general fund and the rest from grant funding and from charging people for care and support.

He added: "We would like to make it clear that taking a strengths-based approach is not about saving money or reducing support for those that need it.

"It is about the people we work with achieving better outcomes, so that they can lead more independent lives, which is what they tell us they want."

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