A survey gathering views on how decision-makers could address a budget blackhole facing Renfrewshire Health and Social Care Partnership (HSCP) has been extended.
People will have an extra week to share their perspective on the pressures facing services and how the integration joint board (IJB) – responsible for oversight of the HSCP – should tackle the funding gap.
The chasm stands at an estimated £11.8 million for 2025/26 but could climb to as much as £34.9m the following year. By this time, the IJB is expected to have used up most of its reserves – painting a troubling picture.
Councillor Jennifer Adam, chair of the IJB, said: “We have decided to extend the deadline of our public and staff engagement survey by a further week to allow more time for people to contribute with their ideas and to enable more people to get support to do so.
“It is encouraging to see that people have already been actively sharing their views and ideas with us. It is vital that the IJB returns to a more sustainable financial position and all opinions will be considered in our analysis.”
The challenges are being experienced by the sector across Scotland because of an increasing demand for services and higher costs. This marks the first of two stages of the HSCP’s engagement activity, during which people have been asked to provide feedback on how the IJB can address the gap.
Chief officer Christine Laverty said: “The budget gap we face will make things extremely challenging over the coming years. If we cannot deliver a balanced budget – and enter a period of financial recovery – we couldn’t guarantee delivery of the services we currently provide and would have to make decisions to cut costs quickly.
“I appreciate that none of us wants to be in this position. No one wants to face the tough choices that will have to be made for us to ensure our sustainability going forward.
“I want to reassure people that all opinions are valued and will be considered as part of this process. So, please make time to let us know your views and share your ideas on how we can address our budget gap.”
The survey will now be available until Friday, November 1 and can be accessed online with paper versions also available at various locations.
Findings from the engagement – which has also included focus groups – will be collated, alongside saving ideas identified by HSCP staff, and brought to the IJB at its meeting in December. With IJB members’ feedback, more detailed proposals to address the gap will be developed in early 2025.
If agreed at this point, the HSCP will undertake a second stage of engagement, based upon any specific proposals that are developed. Feedback from this stage will also be shared with the IJB to assist their decision-making. For more information, visit here
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