FOLLOWING a public meeting discussing proposed cuts to Edinburgh’s third sector, decisions have been pushed back from June to August this year.
Members of the Thrive Collective, councillors, Edinburgh locals, and the chair of the Edinburgh Integration Joint Board (EIJB) gathered on Monday to discuss the plans.
The proposed cuts would affect 64 charities across the Scottish capital, and have been heavily opposed by organisations and the people who depend on them.
Following the meeting this week, the EIJB has decided to take some more time to consider the cuts and to listen to the concerns of community-based mental health services in Edinburgh.
In the public meeting, many gathered to hear from charity workers, councillors and the chair and vice-chair of the EIJB.
Charities such as Change Mental Health and Scottish Action for Mental Health (SAMH) could see some of their vital services cease and even buildings close as a result of funding cuts.
Tim Pogson, the vice-chair of the EIJB said to the audience: “The main problem that we have in the current financial year is that we have £31m less than we need to deliver health and social services in the city of Edinburgh.
“What are the £31m of services that we stop? That’s the decision that we have to make.”
Katharina Kasper, chair of the EIJB also addressed the concerns of the crowd, saying: “Nothing could have quite prepared me for when I joined the EIJB.
“Sitting and being privy to information where you realise there is a growing need and not enough funding available to meet that need – it’s soul destroying. It’s incredibly difficult.”
She continued: “This time last year we thought we would have to save £50m, and we’ve managed to get that gap down to £30m.
“For next year we’re looking at a £50m reduction, which I don’t say to make everyone depressed, I’m just being honest.”
Though Katharina stated at the meeting that “every month that we delay a decision, we have less time to make it up in the financial year”, organisations were informed yesterday that the EIJB would be pushing back talks until August.
On this, Katharina said today: “The IJB funds a range of non-statutory services with third sector providers, through block contracts and service level agreements.
“We are currently carrying out a review of this spend, with the aim of reducing annual spend by £2.2m.
“This will enable us to focus scarce resources on the provision of core, statutory services which help keep the people who most need our help safe and well cared for, while allowing our partners to meet their legal duties.
“We have decided to take more time to consider this proposal until the IJB meets on 26 August.
“This is to make sure we have taken the time to fully understand the services being provided, to assess the data and evidence on the impacts of any changes, and to consider the concerns raised by providers, service users and others.
“We recognise the concern this may cause, however we are now in a position where unfortunately these difficult decisions have to be made in order to protect the essential support we provide for some of Edinburgh’s most vulnerable people.”
In response, Nick Ward, CEO at Change Mental Health, said today: “The people of Edinburgh deserve better.
“That was the message given loudly and clearly, at our over-subscribed public meeting, to board members of the EIJB.
“The proposed cuts would in effect end community-based mental health services in Edinburgh, meaning many vulnerable people would not get the support they need to live their lives, be supported with taking medication and ultimately end up having to present more to already overstretched GPs and A&E.
“It was heard, clearly, that not investing in early intervention and prevention is a false economy and we heard, movingly, how these services don’t just help people improve their lives, but it ultimately saves many lives as well.
“We are pleased that the members of the EIJB board seemed to listen, pushing back their decision to August.
“Now we need the EIJB to engage with the third sector and work together with us to find solutions that will not leave some of the most vulnerable people in our society without the support they need and are entitled to.”
