Sensory impairment services to be cut

Tameside Council is hoping to clear an overspend of £500,000
by 2004 by reducing its sensory impairment services.

The social services department is tightening up the eligibility
criteria and changing the way it assesses cases seeking support for
visual, hearing and physical disabilities so that fewer people
enter the care management system.

Some people will be referred directly to agencies contracted by the
council to provide services while others will receive advice or be
told to seek private care.

Strategic director of social services Colin McKinless said: “We’re
not letting as many people into our system, but we’re providing
them with preventive support. Our view is that we’ve been
over-providing a service package and potentially promoting peoples’
dependency.”