Council chiefs are 'deluded' if they think integration alone will meet the scale of the financial challenges facing adult social care, the Local Government Association conference has been told.
President of the Association of Directors of Adult Social Services, Ray James, issued the warning during a session on integration this morning.
Mr James also stressed the importance of trust between partners in developing long-term integration and the key role of the largely minimum wage provider sector.
He added: 'I think we absolutely have to balance quality and price.'
Chief executive of the NHS Confederation, Rob Webster, said: 'The state of the provider market is your business.
'Effective joint commissioning in the future has really got to understand that.'