County Durham’s residents and community groups are being asked for their views on how adult social care services should be delivered.

As part of a consultation entitled ‘The Lives We Want to Lead’, the Local Government Association (LGA) would like to hear ideas on the best ways to support older people and adults with mental and physical disabilities.

The consultation also covers the question of how best to pay for the increasing costs of adult social care and the role played by unpaid carers.

According to LGA estimates, adult social care services will be facing a national funding gap of £3.5 billion by 2025.

The LGA hopes the consultation will trigger a debate focusing on preventative, community-based personalised care and changes that would maximise individual health and wellbeing. In this way, the LGA believes, pressure on the NHS could be relieved.

Cllr Lucy Howells is Durham County Council’s cabinet member for adult and health services and the chair of the Health and Wellbeing Board.

Cllr Howells said, “County Durham is changing significantly and the amount of people aged over 65 will increase from almost one in five people to one in four by 2030.”

“The question of how we pay for adult social care in the long term is therefore getting even more urgent.”

“The consultation is open to all members of the public, regardless of whether they receive adult social care and support, and I would like to stress what an important opportunity this is for people in County Durham to have their say.”

The findings from the LGA’s consultation, which is taking place across the UK, will be used to influence the government’s spending plans and its forthcoming green paper on the issue of adult social care, due this autumn.

County Durham’s residents and community groups have until 26th September to submit their comments to the consultation. You can do this by going to www.futureofadultsocialcare.co.uk.

(The featured image is courtesy of Thomas8047 from Flickr Creative Commons.)


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DavidSunderland
David writes about local news, thought provoking stories, and yearns to capture the community spirit with a unique writing style.

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