Adult social care services in Richmond are facing ‘unprecedented challenges’, a conference at York House, Twickenham.

Around 90 people including social care users, carers, the voluntary sector and other professionals gathered last night (Thursday, September 14) to discuss the crisis facing adult social care.

The conference comes on the back of estimates by the Local Government Association (LGA) that adult social care services face an annual funding gap of £3.5 billion by 2025.

Cllr Piers Allen, Cabinet Member for Adult Social Services, opened the event and said: “Unlike the NHS, adult social care has not received additional funding and has had years of underfunding. In response, councils across the country have had to make savings, reduce budgets and find creative ways to balance the books. At the same time, the adult social care system is facing unprecedented challenges.

“This gap in funding affects lives. It means more and more people are unable to get good, reliable care with funding increasingly diverted from other core Council services to plug the gap.

“There are no easy solutions to solve this funding crisis. The most sustainable solutions on the table won’t only affect people who need adult social care support. They will touch everyone.

“We must continue to discuss these issues and the solutions put forward by the LGA, and over the coming weeks and months we will be working to raise awareness of adult social care and the important work it does as part of our continued push for this chronic underfunding to be addressed and for adult social care to be right at the very heart of central Government's thinking.”