Stockport Labour Group has issued a stark warning that the future of the Council’s award-winning REaCH service, which provides highly valued reablement and community support services for vulnerable adults across the borough, is under threat.
Labour Spokesperson Councillor Wendy Wild said, ‘The Liberal Democrats are proposing £4.7 million of cuts to adult care, hitting some of the most vulnerable people in Stockport. The proposal for REaCH is for £596,000 of cuts and between 20 and 25 job losses.
‘This represents a major lack of joined-up thinking by the Executive – the REaCH service often prevents the need for ongoing long-term support, and so reduces spending in other parts of the adult care budget. It’s the definition of a false economy.
‘The Lib Dems say they aren’t salami-slicing, but that’s exactly what is happening. I’m calling for the Executive to safeguard the service and pledge that it won’t ever be privatised.’
REaCH provides short-term support for people who are eligible for social care services, allowing adults to manage their daily living as independently as possible.
The majority of recipients who access REaCH are recovering from an illness or operation, have returned home following a period in residential care, or have a disability which they need support with to continue to live in their own home.
On average around 75 users are accessing reablement services to allow continued living at home, and between 5 and 15 people relying on end of life care, at any given time.
Cllr Wild added, ‘The vast majority of people want to continue living independently for as long as possible, so access to these services should be a priority for a Council which has consistently stated how much they value REaCH and the highly skilled workforce which they are now placing under threat.’
On 17th September the Lib Dem Executive Member for Supporting Adults Cllr Keith Holloway publically said that the Council ‘now recognise that we may not be able to deliver everything that we needed for next year…[so] are putting forward for consultation a variety of service changes and funding reductions.’
Stockport Council’s REaCH service has won national awards, specifically as a highly regarded end of life service, most recently winning the Skills for Care Accolade for most effective approach to integration and innovation in March 2015.