AFFORDING QUALITY IN SOCIAL SERVICES IN THE GLOBAL ECONOMIC DOWNTURN

1. AFFORDING QUALITY IN SOCIAL SERVICES IN THE GLOBAL ECONOMIC DOWNTURN Issues and possible ways forward

2. CONTEXT • Quality in SS is an even bigger issue now e.g. domiciliary care • Naturally there are differences across the EU e.g. Eastern Europe • Personal experience with NGO • Quality does not always cost more • Quality - fixed (absolute) or relative? • The Personalisation agenda in SS. Quality for all, not just people paying for their SS

3. THE QUALITY DRIVE • Period of economic growth and personal prosperity = expectations of higher quality in goods and services in all sectors • Standards and regulation • Increased emphasis on citizens’ rights • The move of SS from marginal to mainstream • SS markets and effect of competition • Formal requirements of commissioners • Effect of personal budgets

4. COST PRESSURES • Markets and competition. Contracts to cheapest bidders. Threat to quality? • Severe constraints on government funding at all levels – budget deficits & longer term effect on public expenditure • Reductions in funding for SS from non-government sources e.g. private companies

5. AFFORDING QUALITY IN SS • Innovation, radicalism & focus on outcomes • Strategy to accelerate externalising of (all?) publicly provided SS e.g. LATC’s • The supermarket approach? Different levels of quality • Even more cost-efficiency! E.g. more alternatives to costly residential care – but dangers • Rationing – reduce eligibility for publicly funded SS

6. AFFORDING QUALITY IN SS (2) 6) Diversify funding sources i.e. increase types and amounts non-gov. funding • Alternatives to labour intensive (costly) SS e.g. ‘Telecare’, self-assessment • Change to ‘reablement’ – short term intensive support rather than long term (more expensive) domiciliary service