The Leader of Argyll and Bute Council is to appeal to the Scottish government to intervene as the region’s health and social care partnership faces having to make significant cuts if it is to avoid overspending by millions.

Councillor Jim Lynch says he is inviting Neil Gray to a meeting “to discuss targeted support for the challenges the area’s health and social care services face”.

Councillor Lynch added:

“This is about standing up for Argyll and Bute, and bringing local and national efforts together to deliver solutions.”

Last week the council discussed its challenges funding services including a paper from its Chief Financial Officer where she warned that difficult decisions will need to be made "about service prioritisation, transformation and efficiency savings to ensure long-term sustainability".

The council says funding the Argyll and Bute Health and Social Care Partnership (HSCP) to provide social work and social care services, represents the council’s second highest spend after education – and that it expects demand for social care to continue to increase.

In a statement the council says, as well as fighting its own case, it will continue working alongside other councils through the local authorities’ organisation COSLA.

The council’s policy lead for health and social care services, Councillor Dougie McFadzean, said:

“Health and social care staff in Argyll and Bute work extremely hard to deliver the best support possible for the people who need our services. Funding is clearly key to this. There are huge pressures on health and social care budgets across Scotland, and Argyll and Bute is no exception.

“Funding alone is not the answer, however, to developing services that are sustainable into the future. New ways of working or training to develop the skills that are needed locally - additional actions like these are key.

“Locally we are making progress, thanks to the hard work of HSCP staff and new innovations, but Argyll and Bute also needs national support.

“Our communities deserve sustainable, equitable access to care, and that requires coordinated action.”

The Scottish government has been asked for comment on the invitation from the council for Mr Gray to meet them.

Read more: Argyll & Bute HSCP facing budget cuts; New directions to NHS on staffing and deficits; Beyond the edge: why care homes are in crisis; Government to establish West Highlands care review

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