Concerns raised for vulnerable adults being given personal budgets

Public sector union Unison has voiced concerns that the widespread introduction of personal budgets for social care will leave vulnerable people open to abuse. The Department of Health wants personal budgets, which give people a set amount of money to spend as they wish on their social care needs, to be available to all adults by 2011. This means that many people will end up employing their own care staff, rather than care being arranged and funded by social services. Unison’s Helga Pile comments on the new system: ‘Whilst (it) will work really well for some people, others need good reliable care, not cash. Social workers fear this will result in an increase in the number of safeguarding vulnerable adult cases.’ The charity Action on Elder Abuse agrees, citing the case of Irene Simons who was robbed of around £150,000 by a home carer that she employed using her personal care budget. However, the Government has recently upgraded its ‘vetting and barring’ legislation which aims to prevent unsuitable people working with vulnerable children and adults, and people with personal budgets will be able to vet potential carers through the scheme. The Department of Health has instructed councils to be alert to any individuals that may be at risk but defends its decision to introduce personal budgets, commenting: ‘Safeguarding people in vulnerable situations remains a priority but must be balanced with the genuinely transformational opportunities presented by direct payments.’

In related news, Action on Elder Abuse has also reported that it receives around 18,000 calls per year from older people that have suffered some form of abuse, mostly in their own homes. The 18,000 calls are described as ‘...merely the tip of the iceberg’ and the problem is expected to get worse as the elderly population increases.