The social care economic balance sheet

The admin team here at Parkhaven Trust has been keeping a tally of the impact of the constrained financial times on our services. It feels very diffficult at the moment. All discussions with our purchasers seem to result in very depressing financial outcomes; for example no uplift on the fees that have been received. No acknowledgement for some very specific financial pressures in one particular service. These pressures are very real. A reassessment of a service user at our nursing home who has been residing at the home for years.

However on the positive side, the turnover of staff has reduced by 4%. This reduced turnover is encouraging. Lower turnover provides greater continuity of staff, retention of skills, knowledge and experience and less pressure on the advertising budget and those responsible for recruiting staff. We are also hopeful that as we go out for tender for our new dementia centre, pencils will be sharpened and we will receive some competitive prices

Thus all is not gloom. It is important in these tough times that we do hold onto what is important and that is providing the best possible services for those that choose to use us. Hopefully these constrained times will prompt our creative juices into action! A further positive outcome!

Hilary Rowland
22.07.10