Audit Commission: Latest report 'corroborates trends'

Association of Directors of Adult Social Services
Date: Thursday June 2nd, 2011
Embargo: Immediate

Directors of adult services have welcomed todays report from the Audit Commission* as being 'valuable corroboration of trends that have already emerged from their Associations own research.

According to ADASS Vice President Sarah Pickup, this new material is entirely coherent with our own survey conducted in March this year which showed that around 70 per cent of the £1 billion savings social care departments plan to make in the current year will come from increased efficiencies and developing new ways of meeting people's needs.

It is also linked closely to a paper ADASS produced for its members earlier this year setting out a framework for 'making best use of reducing resources' and setting out best practice examples ranging from efficiency to radical service re-design"

"We accept that there is more work to do to maximise use of resources across the country and the need for further significant savings over the next few years only reinforces the need to share best practice and move swiftly to implement changes"

In line with our contribution to a joint sector-based letter to leading politicians earlier this week, this new report reinforces the importance of the imminent report of the Dilnot Commission in achieving a sustainable funding base for social care into the future. We hope that the coalition government and the opposition will listen with care to the recommendations of the commission and after due deliberation and participation - be able to move forward to implementation with cross party support.

ENDS

For further information contact:
Sarah Pickup, ADASS Vice President, 01992 556300
Drew Clode, ADASS Policy/Press Adviser, 020 8348 5023/07976 837755

* Improving Value for Money in Adult Social Care, Audit Commission, 2011