MPs’ call for review of funding rejected

The government has rejected calls from the House of Commons health
committee to review social care funding.

In its report on the Victoria Climbi’ Inquiry findings, the
committee recommended that the government commission “an urgent
review” of the factors influencing demand for children and adults’
social care, and to look at whether the resources allocated are
sufficient.

But, in its response published last week, the government said it
did not think there was a need for such a review, and that record
funding had been committed for health and social care as a result
of the 2002 spending review.

“We believe that the priority now is to ensure that these large
increases in resources are used to produce the maximum benefit for
users rather than to begin another review of the level of funding
for social care,” the response says.

It refutes suggestions that current health service priorities have
undermined local priorities for children and families, also that
more decision-making power is being devolved to the front line,
allowing local NHS organisations to take local needs into account.