CONTINGENCY plans are having to be put into place by Sheffield Council due to predictions of a £5.7 million overspend on adult social care services.
The authority says the problem is down to a 27 per cent increase in demand from patients leaving hospital, which could lead to the overspend by the end of 2012/13.
Coun Bryan Lodge, cabinet member for finance, said: “We are working hard to balance our budget so we can ensure people who need care from us continue to receive it. These are often vulnerable people and we can assure them we can find money from elsewhere in the budget to meet this need.
“Looking ahead we face more challenges to budgets from April onwards, but we are working with our colleagues in the Health Service to find a more sustainable solution to this issue.”
The current budget for adult social care is just under £122 million.
The biggest area of spend is on packages of care for individuals, which cost almost £90 million each year.
In 2011/12 there were nearly 13,500 adults in the city receiving care and support services provided or arranged by the council.
Just over 6,800 of them were provided with a ‘personal budget’ – giving them choice and control of their own care and support.
During 2011/12, just over 2,600 people were supported in residential or nursing care with a further 5,800 receiving support at home, arranged by the council.
Sheffield Council said it is having to take on 70 new patients each week, up from 55 each week in previous years.
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