Richard has welcomed the news that Bedfordshire, Luton and Milton Keynes (BLMK) Integrated Care System (ICS) will receive funding to support innovation and scaling in adult social care.
BLMK ICS will receive £399,470 in 2023/24 to expand a “trusted assessor” model to enable staff from partner voluntary community and social enterprise organisations to promote awareness and carry out Care Act assessments. The funding will also be used to expand the Shared Lives scheme to support a wider range of individuals and increase availability of support across each local authority.
This is also one of the four projects that has been awarded funding from the second rollout of the Adult Social Care Technology Fund, which was announced in October 2023. The Adult Social Care Technology Fund was created to help local systems test, evaluate and scale care technologies that have been shown to improve the quality and safety of care, reduce avoidable hospital admissions and help people live independently for longer. Bedfordshire, Luton and Milton Keynes ICS will receive £1,099,892 to scale technology to improve pain identification and management and implement technology that supports wellbeing.
In total, £20 million is being allocated to lead local authorities, covering all 42 integrated care systems, which deliver adult social care services and will work with a range of partners including the NHS, care providers, voluntary and community groups. £20 million is the first tranche of the funding for 2023 to 2024. The second tranche of the funding, £22.6 million, will be allocated in 2024 to 2025. This will scale community-based care models such as shared-living arrangements and digital tools that enable people to self-direct their support. More than half of the projects, and at least one in each ICS area, are focused on identifying, recognising and supporting unpaid carers.
The Accelerating Reform Fund provides a total of £42.6 million over 2023/24 and 2024/25 to support innovation and to transform the way adult social care services are provided nationally and to support a sustainable, lasting increase in the amount of effective types of support.
Richard Fuller MP said:
The government is delivering ambitious social care reforms that will ensure everyone gets the care they need and that helps even more people to live independently.
Alongside workforce reforms, we are supporting the sector by backing innovations which will make our care system fit for the future and provide vital support to our selfless unpaid carers.
I’m am pleased this funding will scale up support and make an even bigger difference for more people across Bedfordshire.
