A consultation is being held to help inform the HSCP’s budget-setting process for 2025/26, against a backdrop of extreme financial pressures across the public sector.

The HSCP has warned of “fundamental and unavoidable changes”, with projected savings required to be made of between £7.6 million and £13.3m each year from 2024/25 onwards.

The HSCP is responsible for delivering community healthcare, social work and social care services to residents in East Dunbartonshire.

It provides professional assessment of needs and care planning to support access to social care services and health interventions.

Services provided directly or indirectly include:

• Social work children & family services and universal child health services
• Community and prison-based criminal justice services
• Care at Home/home care
• Care homes/residential care
• Independent living and social support
• District nursing
• Rehabilitation
• Child, adult and public protection
• Community occupational therapy, equipment and adaptations
• Drugs & alcohol recovery and mental health services
• The prescribing of medicines through GPs and other registered prescribers.

The HSCP also has responsibility for unplanned hospital care and reducing the amount of time people spend within a hospital setting when this is not the best place for them.

It also hosts two health board-wide services on behalf of NHS Greater Glasgow & Clyde – Specialist Children’s Services and the Public Dental Service/Primary Care Oral Health.

Councillor Calum Smith, chair of East Dunbartonshire HSCP board, said: “As with other public sector organisations, the HSCP is under extreme financial pressures. We recognise that to make the scale of savings required to achieve a balanced budget, we need to fundamentally rethink how and what we deliver. Simply put, we will not be able to continue to provide the current range or level of services.

“So it’s important that as many local residents, workers and organisations as possible have their say via the budget consultation. All feedback received will help to shape future service provision.”

The HSCP’s services are funded by NHS Greater Glasgow & Clyde and East Dunbartonshire Council. It also receives direct funding from the Scottish Government for specific priorities.

In addition, charges for certain services help to support and maintain frontline services. The HSCP is restricted in what it can charge for.

Visit here for more information and an online survey. It will close on Friday 20 December 2024.