States 'failing islanders' with learning difficulties

Tuesday 25 July 2017

A leading charity has told a Scrutiny Panel the States are currently failing islanders with learning difficulties.

Les Amis Managing Director Shaun Findlay told a Scrutiny Panel that, under the Long Term Care Scheme, his charity’s budget has been cut by half a million pounds and that the scheme, “...which in theory is a good idea, isn’t working properly."

Under the scheme, islanders needing long-term care are classified into four groups depending on the level of support they need. Group four – those needing the most help – are given the most money. It’s then up to recipients to choose a care provider – someone who can provide the services they need, and to ‘spend’ their allowance with that provider. The idea was to open the market up to more providers and to give islanders more say in who treats them and how they are treated.

The scheme is funded by islanders who currently contribute around 1% of their taxable income up to a maximum of around £1,625, although Social Security acknowledge the percentage will have to increase steadily over the next 30 years to a rate of just under 3% by 2044.

Pictured: Mr Findlay (right), Les Amis' MD, said that the States calls to cut service costs might negatively impact Les Amis clients (back).

But, as Mr Findlay explained to the Panel during the middle of the hearing, by drawing a diagram on a flip chart, islanders with learning difficulties don’t fit into any of the four groups. They often need a level of care that is so specialist they are off the scale. Mr Findlay said Social Security was trying to, “...make a funding system designed for an old folks home” do something – looking after those with learning difficulties – that it wasn’t designed to do, and couldn’t possibly achieve.

Added to this, complications with the IT system – an early version had to be replaced – means 70% of Les Amis’ clients don’t have a ‘personal care plan’ – a technical assessment of their needs and the relevant funding needed.

Mr Findlay also told the Panel the States were constantly asking him if he could cut the cost of their services - something he was reluctant to do because it would impact on clients.

A number of other charities will be giving their thoughts on the long-term care scheme to the panel later this week.