MPs to investigate impacts of rising social care costs on Local Authorities and NHS
The Health and Social Care Committee will hear from local authority and NHS representatives as it continues its inquiry into the costs of not reforming adult social care at 9:30am on Wednesday 5 March.
Meeting details
Local authority's finances are being placed under increasing pressure as both the demand and cost of providing adult social care continues to rise, with a recent survey finding that 81% of local authorities are on track for an overspend of their adult social care budget in the coming year.
This pressure is also being felt in the NHS as the number of ‘delayed discharges’ continues to grow, meaning much needed hospital beds remain unavailable despite people being clinically able to leave.
The first panel will explore the cost of inaction to local authorities, with MPs likely to ask how an increase in demand coupled with the rising cost of providing adult social care services is impacting their ability to invest in prevention services. The Committee may also consider if increased costs are impacting local authorities' ability to adequately fund other services.
MPs will then hear from NHS and Integrated Care Board representatives and may ask how patient flows in and out of hospitals are being impacted by a lack of reform to the adult social care sector. The Committee could also explore the impact on NHS spending and ask how a lack of reform could hinder their ability to deliver the Government’s planned three shifts for the NHS.