Devon budget cut prompts outrage

Action on Elder Abuse has rounded on Devon Council over a plan to
cut preventive services for older people to tackle a possible
£2.1m social care overspend.

The pressure group criticised a memo from Devon’s deputy director
of social services, David Padfield, in which he called for managers
to stop providing or commissioning “ancillary” services – such as
shopping and cleaning – to save £250,000.

It said: “It’s ironic that this follows on so swiftly after a
government consultation [on the adult green paper] where preventive
work is seen to be so important.”

However, Devon accused Action on Elder Abuse of responding to press
reports on Padfield’s memo rather than the document.

A spokesperson said: “There just isn’t sufficient funding committed
to care services for older people. Devon receives one of the lowest
allocations in the country.”