THE integration of health and social care is underfunded and lacks a long-term financial strategy, a Holyrood committee has been told.
The budget shortfall means the required shift in the balance of care will take longer to achieve, according to the authorities set up to oversee the change.
The concerns were set out in a written submission to the Health Committee by the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy’s (CIPFA) integration group, which is comprised of Scottish integration authority chief finance officers (CFOs).
The integration authorities are responsible for joining up services provided by the NHS, councils and others to shift care from hospital to community settings.
They have responsibility for more than £8 billion of funding for local services which was previously managed separately by NHS boards and local authorities.
However, they said there is evidence the current budget is not enough to power integration in the long-term, with some authorities reporting shortfalls of up to 14 per cent.
The group said the acceleration of cuts to hospital services would be needed, with financial officers recognising the squeeze on public finances means that “potentially resources will have to come from within the current financial envelope”.
“This will, however, accelerate disinvestment in acute hospital services accompanied by a consequent transfer to community-based services,” the submission adds.
Don Peebles, head of CIPFA Scotland, said: “The integration of health and social care services in Scotland will make a meaningful and lasting difference to the sector.
“Therefore, it is crucial that there is enough long-term investment to make sure services, which are facing significant pressures, can afford such transformation.
“It is illogical that there is no medium to long-term financial strategy for the integration of services in Scotland already in place.”
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