15. Variations between authorities in unit
costs are to be expected as the demand for services varies, prices
will be affected by regional wage rates (for example higher prices
in the South East), and supply factors such as the number of residential
care homes will have a bearing. Variations in dependency of clients
between authorities may also be relevant. The Department of Health
supports a range of research relevant to trends and variations
in unit costs of personal social services, including an annually
updated study to establish national average unit costs of key
health and social care services. Plans are also in hand to commission
new research to bring up to date a study conducted during the
1980s to investigate and explain trends and variations in unit
costs, through secondary data analysis and fieldwork visits to
selected local authorities.
5.4 INDEPENDENT
SECTOR PROVISION
Can the Department provide a table showing for
each authority the latest information on the proportion of social
services for adults which are purchased from the independent sector
rather than being provided directly? Could the Department supply
a commentary on these figures?
1. Table 5.4 shows for each authority the
percentage contribution of the independent sector in respect of
three main elements of community based social services for adults
(contact hours of home help/home care; meals provided at home
and at luncheon clubs; day centre places) and the percentage of
local authority supported residents in independent sector residential
care homes.
2. Use of the independent sector varies
considerably between authorities and, within authorities, between
services. A significant number of authorities still make little
or no use of the independent sector in the provision of community
based services and particularly meals and day centre services.
However, at the other extreme, a number of authorities use the
independent sector to provide all meals services. In the case
of the meals service, this largely relates to the existence in
the area of voluntary bodies who may take a significant role in
the preparation or delivery of meals.
3. Local authorities place and financially
support to some degree significant numbers of clients in independent
sector residential care homes—65 per cent of all local authority
supported residents. There is some variation in the proportions
between authorities, but not to the same extent as with community
based services. Over the last few years a substantial number of
authorities have transferred some of their homes to independent
ownership; some of the variation in proportionate use of the independent
sector may reflect the fact that authorities are at different
stages in this process. At 31 March 1997 no authority was placing
all its clients in independent sector homes. These figures do
not include clients supported by local authorities in nursing
care homes which are all in the independent sector.
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