INVERCLYDE Integration Joint Board (IJB), the governing body of the district’s Health and Social Care Partnership (HSCP), has approved a two-year budget.
In February, the HSCP launched public consultation on its savings proposals, announcing it was facing a funding gap of £5.2million over the next two years.
Following the budget engagement, the partnership revised its savings options to reflect the responses, and the IJB has now approved these plans.
Savings include a review of commissioning arrangements, a redesign of day services, a business support review, a review of the HSCP senior staff structure, a review of long-term vacancies and adult services self-directed supports.
Councillor Robert Moran, chair of the Inverclyde Integration Joint Board, said: “This is one of the most challenging financial situations the IJB has ever encountered, and it is with the greatest consideration that these difficult decisions have had to be made.
“We appreciate the input from everyone who participated in the budget engagement, as your views helped guide our decision-making. We have eliminated increasing our charges for community alarms, day services, and transport and have focused on protecting frontline health and social care services — this is in line with our statutory duties.
“As we proceed with these savings, we will continue to engage with staff, service users, and our commissioned services. Our priority is to continue providing the best care possible to those who need us the most, which will remain at the heart of everything we do.”
The IJB’s approval of a two-year budget will provide the partnership with financial stability, the ability to plan for future funding challenges, and the capacity to deliver savings over 2024/2026.
Complete list of approved savings
| Service | Saving type | Savings title | Summary |
| Community Care & Health | Service efficiency | Day Service redesign | Efficiency will be made by absorbing service into our wider day service provision. |
| Community Care & Health | Service efficiency | Review of Community Alarms service | To find efficiencies within the service to achieve a modest saving |
| Community Care & Health | Service redesign / efficiency | Independent living services | A service redesign to consider efficiencies in the delivery of services, particularly small equipment and adaptations |
| Community Care & Health | Service redesign / efficiency | Supported Living Services | Review Supported Living services across the HSCP, including our in-house Inverclyde Supported Living Service for adults with Learning Disability who require sleepover arrangements. |
| Community Care & Health | Service redesign / efficiency | Review of integrated front doors | Conduct a review of the staffing model required to fully integrate advice services into our existing front doors. |
| Finance Planning & Resources | Service redesign | Business Support Review | The HSCP is currently working on the review of business support |
| All | Service redesign | Review of HSCP senior staff structure | A review of the roles and responsibilities of the HSCP senior staff |
| Children & Families | Service reduction | Education placement support | To cease funding of education placement support |
| Children & Families | Service reduction | Children’s community supports | Through redesign, we will support disabled children and young people in moving towards greater use of community alternatives. |
| Community Care & Health | Service efficiency | Transition of respite service | Decommissioning Hillend Respite Unit, which has been closed since March 2020 |
| Community Care & Health | Service reduction | Residential/Nursing care home beds | A reduction of 6 long-term care beds over two years during 2025/26 and 2026/27. |
| Community Care & Health/Finance Planning & Resources | Service reduction | Redesign of Strategic Services | A redesign of strategic services |
| Community Care & Health/Mental Health | Service redesign / efficiency | Homemakers Service | Service will be transferred from adult services into the management of our social care service. |
| All | Service reduction | Review of Commissioning arrangements | Commissioning arrangements are to be reviewed for efficiencies. |
| All | Service reduction | Review of long-term vacancies | Complete a review of any long-term vacancies held in both Council and Health structures. |
| All | Service reduction | Adult services self-directed supports | A review of self-directed supports will be conducted to ensure that needs are being met and that the supports meet our eligibility criteria. |
