Briefings and responses

Despite rising demand, mental health services have been reduced for many years at all levels.

We have long called for an overhaul of the current Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS) process to create a fully-funded, simpler and less bureaucratic scheme

Adult social care is a crucial service in its own right that transform peoples’ quality of life. However, years of significant underfunding coupled with rising demand and costs for care and support, have combined to push adult social care services to breaking point.

This briefing summarises the proposals of relevance to local government in the NHS consultation document and highlights the initial key messages, questions and concerns of the LGA. Our final response to the consultation will be informed by the views of our member authorities.

LGA submission

Adult social care is a vital council service that helps to transform people’s quality of life. It supports adults of all ages with a range of different needs and their carers. There cannot be a sustainable NHS without a sustainable adult social care system.

The perilous state of adult social care funding, and its serious consequences for people who draw on social care (or may need to do so in the near future), is unquestionable. Recent survey work by the Association of Directors of Adult Social Services (ADASS) shows that just 12 per cent of directors are confident that they have the resources required to deliver all of their statutory duties.

This briefing for practitioners is based on a literature review published in the Journal of Adult Protection in March 2022.

A number of health and wellbeing boards are actively prioritising dementia and promoting dementia friendly communities.

Supporting people with dementia is not just a health and social care issue. Achieving dementia friendly communities is the responsibility of many council departments, all of which are financially stretched.