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£1.65m overspend in Moray on older people and sensory disability services


By Hazel Lawson Local Democracy Reporter

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Moray Health and Social Care Moray has overspent its older persons and physical sensory disability budget by £1.65 million.

At a meeting of the Moray Integration Joint Board yesterday members were told the main reasons were sheltered housing, respite care and an increase in the number of home care clients who have complex needs.

Head of service Sean Cody said: "Care at home packages are becoming more expensive.

"Although the number of packages are not increasing the cost are increasing.

"We are finding there are more people requiring that rising level of care at home than we’ve had before.

"We’ve had to provide more respite and people have had to stay in this longer because we’ve not been able to provide a service to get them home."

Mr Cody added the problem was not unique to Moray but was being experienced across the country.

Senior management within Health and Social Care Moray and Dr Gray’s Hospital have put forward measures to address the issue.

This includes a move towards a Hospital Without Walls policy focusing on a holistic approach to reduce and re-shape demand on health and care services, reduce overcrowding in A&E, improve the way patients are discharged and enhance the resilience and responsiveness of those working in the care sector.

This year the average number of patients attending A&E at Dr Gray’s Hospital has jumped from around 40 a day in February to more than 70 in July.

The reason is partly because people who delayed getting treatment during the pandemic have presented with more acute illness.

The overspend on the older people and physical sensory disability budget includes £1.51million for care at home, £240,000 in permanent care and £80,000 for respite care.

Meanwhile, there is an underspend of £19,0000 on the costs of day care services.


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