'Work to be done' to avoid cuts to Glasgow health and social care jobs

Glasgow's Health and Social Care Partnership (HSCP) budget has been agreed this lunchtime - but decisions around cuts are not finalised.

The Integrated Joint Board (IJB) - a partnership between Glasgow City Council and the local NHS - passed a budget this afternoon which aims to make £36.4 million worth of savings to plug a funding deficit.

However, a last-minute amendment by board member and Green Councillor Jon Molyneux means that more work is planned to try and avoid cuts to jobs and services where possible.

In the proposals which have been agreed in principal, around 150 full-time equivalent jobs are at risk - 90 FTE positions in health, and 62 FTE council jobs.

Other cost-saving measures include introducing waiting lists for self-directed support, a £3.5m cut to a “maximising independence programme” aiming to keep people “living at home for as long as possible”, and introducing a 5% cost uplift for service users, with the price of hot meals set to rise by almost 13%.

More information is expected in coming months after consultation with protected groups and work to identify other avenues for savings.

Risk of breaching statutory duties

The amended budget agrees it will be "subject to further work to be done and reported to the IJB on options to minimise or mitigate the risk of breaching statutory duties."

It comes as the Chief Financial Officer noted in the report that with current funding levels, "there is a risk of not fulfilling statutory responsibilities”.

The IJB also agreed to write to both funding partners, the local authority and health board, to ask for an increase in funding allocation.

Yesterday (Tuesday 19 March 2024), three of Scotland's largest trade unions protested against the cuts to jobs, services, and plans to halve the number of public holidays which staff could claim double-time for.

However, the IJB today agreed to a u-turn, meaning workers can continue to claim the additional cash for 12.5 public holidays per year.

'These things are never comfortable'

Chair of the IJB, Councillor Chris Cunningham said: "I would be clear that these things are never comfortable.

"This was a substantial amount of savings that were required and that can make for uncomfortable and difficult decisions.

"Throughout all of that, the board had to bear in mind that not setting a budget would be even more difficult, as it would result in a substantial, indeed, very difficult cessation of services from the 1st of April.

"If no budget is approved, no new commitments can be entered into and therefore those people coming forward in need of our services would have been denied them until such time that the budget was back in balance or a new budget approved.

"That is an even more challenging consequence and it's that which has led us to approve the budget today.

"The budget agreed a range of proposals in order to save money including service reform, innovation, prioritisation and reduction."

No Labour support

Speaking after the meeting, Labour representative on the IJB, Councillor Cecilia O’Lone said: “We were unable to support this budget and voted to reject these cuts.

“This ‘cuts’ budget posses a significant threat to the welfare of our city’s most vulnerable citizens, resulting in potential breaches of our statutory duties.

“Although we could not support the budget, we did call on the Leader of the Council, MSPs and the relevant officer to engage with the Scottish Government and partner organisations to request additional funding.

“We must assist in helping our city’s most vulnerable and ensure we do not breach any of our statutory obligations around caring and support.”

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