Extra resources will be required for needs assessors so "quick gains" can be made in reducing home-based support for the elderly which may no longer be required, the Otago and Southland district health boards' disability advisory support committee was told yesterday.
Regional general manager of planning and funding David Chrisp was updating the committee on discussions with community service providers last week about plans to reduce the services available to bring the two regions into line with services provided at a national level.
He has previously advised some people are receiving low-level support they may no longer need and which could be removed without risk.
The speed with which the needs assessment co-ordinators (Nascs ) could do the work required for reassessments was one of two major issues which surfaced. Reassessment would be required before any reductions were made in services.
The other was the possible fallout or backlash in the community about what the boards were trying to do and the need for a good communications strategy so providers and their employees had something to fall back on when they were questioned.
Nascs also needed such material, perhaps in the form of "frequently asked questions" so they could respond to people with whom they were dealing.
The boards are considering ways of reducing their spending on services to the elderly over the next three years because they say they are "over-delivering" by a total of $14.5 million annually compared with the national situation.
Within that amount, home-based support service over-delivery is estimated to be $2.7 million in Otago and $1.4 million in Southland, with particular attention being paid to the amount of housework support given.
Meetings with other providers of aged care, including those providing residential care, have yet to be held.
Regional chief executive Brian Rousseau said the boards were also seeking input from specialists in the field of caring for the elderly on what was the best configuration of services within the available funding.
It was agreed Mr Chrisp should provide the boards with a one-page report showing the issues being focused on and the priority given them.
