Fife's Health and Social Care Partnership looks to fill £39m blackhole with latest budget

That’s what members of the partnership will hear on Thursday when they meet to set the new 2024/25 budget, facing a steep £39 million budget deficit.

Increases to service charges for things like Meals on Wheels, community alarms and supported living rents will also help offset financial pressures.

The partnership is jointly funded by Fife Council and NHS Fife, and it is responsible for overseeing the funding and delivery of health and social care services that are delegated to it – such as social work and community health services.

A saving opportunities report from HSCP director Nicky Connor and chief financial officer Audrey Valente states that the senior leadership team have been “working every day” with service teams, NHS Fife, the council, trade unions and more to create a savings plan.

That plan, they said, “ensures we are continuing to build a sustainable HSCP for the future that delivers the services our citizens need to continue to support the right care and support, at the right time, and in the right place.”

INCREASES

Service charges for Meals on Wheels, community alarms and supported living rents were all approved as part of Fife Council’s 2024/25 budget in February.

The council agreed to allow up to five per cent increases to fees and charges for a range of services, and the HSCP papers say that money is “attributable to the budget gap.”

EFFICIENCIES

The partnership has already been working on a medicines efficiencies programme, but they now hope to “expand the ambition” of it – which is projected to save the partnership £4.3 million.

“This is an expansion to the previously approved medicines efficiency saving to support effective prescribing and reduction of medicines waste,” the report stated.

“This additional work will focus on safely, efficiently and effectively reducing unnecessary prescribing in line with realistic medicine and realistic care.”

If approved, cleaning operations in care homes will also take a hit from this efficiency programme. The partnership has suggested going back to “Business as usual” cleaning practices and eliminating the enhanced cleaning procedures from the Covid-19 era.

The partnership also wants to improve the “commissioning of adult care packages” to save £2.4 million.

HSCP describes it as a “modernisation” of contracts and Service Level Agreements with care providers.

SERVICE REDESIGN

Redesign is another crucial part of the partnership’s savings plan and Mental Health Services are at the top of the list.

“Over the past 12 months mental health services have experienced a requirement to significantly increase the use of Locums [temporary substitutes to fill vacancies],” the report explained.

“This coupled with the increased use of agency nursing staff has resulted in a £6 million overspend within the service.”

The redesign would aim to reduce the cost of locum spend by 25 per cent and increase the number of registered nurses to reduce the cost of locum spend within inpatient areas.

There will be an increased focus on early intervention in both community and urgent care responses as well.

WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?

The new 2024/25 HSCP budget will be set in stone during the next meeting on Thursday

According to agenda papers, the board is working with £682 million this year – 70 per cent from NHS Fife and 30 per cent from Fife Council.

The savings plan will also be up for debate and decision.