Social care saves NHS £60 million in last year

New analysis from the Association of Directors of Adult Social Services (ADASS) has revealed that adult social care has saved the NHS almost £60 million through reducing pressures in the last year.

Delivering care in home and community-based settings, adult social care is key in keeping older people out of hospital and reducing demand on the NHS. ADASS reports that the number of delays to transfers of care attributable to social care has fallen dramatically by 41 per cent, from a high of 74,228 last March to 40,209 this June. The NHS’ excess bed days calculations put the saving per day of having one extra bed available in hospital throughout 2016/17 at £313.

Additionally, the number of delayed transfers of care days attributable to adult social care has fallen by 187,864 over the last year, meaning that there has been a reduction of almost £60 million -  £58,801,432 overall - in NHS costs, as a result of improved adult social care performance when compared to the previous 12 months.

Looking in more detail at costs, the analysis found that the average cost of residential care is £91.10 per day, which is £221.90 cheaper than an excess bed day in hospital. Moreover, the cost of delivering the 2016/17 excess bed days in hospital was £ 253,847,069. If these had been provided through residential care, that cost would have been significantly less at £73,883,284.

ADASS is calling for the government to urgently bring forward a long-term funding solution for adult social care in its forthcoming green paper, and in the meantime to supply interim funding to help the sector cope with its current pressures.

Julie Ogley, vice president of ADASS, said: “Our dedicated workforce has done a tremendous job over the last year with limited resources, saving the NHS almost £60 million by keeping people out of hospital. This demonstrates the ability of social care to make an impact. However, when not one adult social care director is confident in meeting their statutory duties across the country, it’s clear we have a crisis in care. It’s essential that the Government builds on the work of the LGA and others in the sector, and deliver the green paper, which must contain a long-term funding solution, as soon as possible.

“In the meantime, however, urgent and immediate funding is needed to help social care keep track with the pressures of an ageing population, and in turn, reduce those pressures on the NHS. The best way to help people live as independently as possible, as long as possible, is to provide effective support in the communities in which they live.”

James Jamieson, Vice Chairman of the Local Government Association, said: “Councils have reduced the average number of delayed transfers of care days attributed to social care since June 2017 by 40 per cent, despite significant budget reductions. To help councils build on this work and help reduce pressures on the NHS, adult social care needs to be put on an equal footing with the health service.

“Like the 70th birthday funding for the NHS, a similar urgent rescue package is needed for social care and prevention services to ensure taxpayers’ money is spent most effectively to reduce the need for people to be admitted to hospital in the first place. The LGA has launched its own adult social care green paper to kick-start a desperately-needed debate following the delay of the Government’s green paper. To help tackle this, the government needs to address immediate pressures and plug the funding gap facing adult social care which is set to exceed £3.5 billion by 2025, just to maintain existing standards of care.”