The future is older – costs are rising – planning is paramount

The government’s social care green paper puts choice, greater independence and dignity at the heart of its reform plans, but the latest research in London gives an indication of the scale of the task ahead.

Councils in the capital spent £2.4bn on adult social care in 2008/09 and around £1.1bn of this of this went towards services for people aged 65 or older. The survey of London local authorities, commissioned by London Councils, shows that accessing and funding adult social care is over-complicated and financially unsustainable.

Dr Foster’s Population Care Manager enables authorities to map their communities – developing an understanding of the services required by all segments of their population. It provides a valuable tool in planning for the needs of an older population. It allows councils to plan effectively for shifting demographics, pinpoint weaknesses in service delivery systems and be at the vanguard of delivering high-quality, tailored services.

Better, more efficient services are already helping authorities make significant savings. A saving of just 1% on the money spent on adult social care in London alone last year would net well over £10m. 

The need to provide ever more efficient services to an older population is becoming increasingly important as the proportion of older people grows. Nationally, the number of people aged 65 and over is expected to increase by 60% in the next 25 years. Between 2006 and 2035, the UK’s over-85 population is expected to double.

In the capital alone, there are 900,000 residents aged 65 and older; a figure which is set to rise to 1.25m by 2031. The survey found that one in six respondents have a close relative aged over-65 with social care needs. It also found that just under two-thirds of these people live in their own home.

The cost of caring for someone with moderate social care needs is, on average, around £1,000 a week, highlighting the need to identify service needs and priorities, and establish the best way to deliver those services.

Population Care Manager provides a solution to local authorities faced with increasing demand for services, coupled with dwindling resources. It provides the intelligence to develop a clear picture of future needs – based on changing populations – along with the ability to segment communities, so that intervention strategies are closely allied to the needs of the population.

The public sector faces a tough financial climate in the next few years, and social care is unlikely to escape the demand for efficiency savings, while at the same time expected to provide continuously improving services. Population Care Manager provides coherent, cost-saving solutions that actually drive service improvement.

It enables effective analysis of the inter-relationship between health and social care, providing a shared information platform, and creating an opportunity to work with other organisations and service providers, using complex analytical techniques to develop clear forecasts.

Population Care Manager allows information, intelligence and assumptions to be shared across authorities, breaking down barriers and shaving millions from costs without damaging services. It enables key information to be shared, and provides access to valuable forecasts on population data and expectations for future demand – helping councils meet the challenges of their changing communities.