David Pearson, Nottinghamshire County Council's head of social care, highlights the pressure the public social care sector is in

A council chief, who has advised the Government, has spoken about the pressures the public social care sector is in.

David Pearson, Nottinghamshire County Council’s head of social care, worked with the government on a green paper, which discusses the future of social care and how it is funded.

The Government has said topics such as integration with health and other services, carers, workforce, and technological developments will be included.

The Government has also said it will consider domestic and international comparisons.

The green paper was due to be published in December but has been delayed until the New Year.

Mr Pearson said significant efficiencies in social care had already been found, but the level of funding shortages since austerity started in 2010 were unique among the public sector.

He said: “Local government has taken a 49% reduction in its revenue support grant (the main block of funding from the Government).

“That’s a level of reduction which is unique in public services.

“So the current proportion of the council’s budget is 42%.

“If you count the council’s contribution to children’s social care it’s 70%.

“If you have got those levels of reduction from the Government you cannot manage the budget without reducing expenditure on social care.

“That lies at the heart of this.

“A number of councils are really struggling.

“The evidence is pretty strong that there is a funding problem for local government and for its constituent parts.

“The argument is that there is a problem here, but no-one has really found a solution.”

Unlike the NHS, which is funded directly from the Government, social care is funded by local councils.

It is also means tested, meaning many people who are judged to be able to afford it are asked to pay towards the care they receive.

In recent years, there has been a focus on improving links between social care and the NHS.

Mr Pearson said increased harmonisation was key.

“We need to make sure we are blending the best of the NHS with the best of social care,” he said.

“The NHS is very good at diagnosing medical diseases and problems and fixing them, but what social care is very good at is looking at people’s needs in the round and thinking about how they can help live their best lives with whatever they are living with.

“But when you look at the total amount we spend on it, this is not huge amounts of public spending.

“The public expenditure on social care is 1.2% of GDP, and it’s going down, as needs are going up.

“So we are running up an escalator the wrong way.

“But it is fixable, with the right will.”