Meeting needs of the vulnerable

Published: 27 January, 2011

• FURTHER to your article (Age against the machine, January 20) I would like to offer some reassurance to readers. 

Anyone who currently attends the four resource centres we’re proposing to stop funding over the next three years, who has critical or substantial needs, will have those needs met elsewhere. In addition, the other two centres we will continue to fund have capacity to support more people.

About 330 people use the four resource centres that we will stop funding, out of the 20,000 plus older people in Camden. When deciding how to deal with government funding cuts, our first priority was to make sure we could meet the needs of our most vulnerable service users and their carers. We offer essential services for the 6,660 people who have substantial or critical needs, including things like personal care and help to manage at home, and will continue to do so. We will continue to spend around £3million funding discretionary services in Camden, including £2.5million for social care services provided by up to 25 voluntary sector organisations.



We will continue to do our utmost to ensure that the borough’s most vulnerable people continue to be well supported. 

We will also work closely with the voluntary organisations which are affected, to help them find other sources of funding or develop different ways of working.

To get involved in the ongoing consultation, visit camden.gov.uk/adult socialcaresavings or attend one of our consultation meetings. Alongside meetings for groups of people with specific needs, we are also holding meetings for the borough’s older people, and anyone else who might have concerns. 

The first will be at Kingsgate resource centre on February 9 at 10.30am.



CLLR PAT CALLAGHAN
Cabinet Member for Health and Adult Social Care