Nearly 75% of Local Authorities have raised the threshold that decides who is eligible for local authority care. They no longer provide care to people with moderate care needs - only supporting people with substantial or critical needs.
When this happens 100s of people in each Local Authority have services removed from them and are usually sign posted toward charities and the voluntary sector for help, care and support.
How have voluntary organisations in these locations dealt with the increase in demand? And what if anything have Local Authorities created/commissioned to help these people who no longer qualify for publicly funded care?
If handled correctly the move to Personal Budgets will release resources to be spent on level 2 and preventative services.
The decommissioning required may cause some pain but the resources will be shared more fairly. Just imagine how some of the resources spent in residential and nursing homes could be reprovisioned to deliver high need care provided in the home?