Latest social care statistics on home care and on staff working in social services departments have been published today (26 March 2008) by The NHS Information Centre for health and social care.

Home care

During the survey week in September 2007:

• an estimated 3.9 million home care contact hours were provided to around 334,500 households (or 346,700 service users). This represents a 4 per cent increase in the number of contact hours since 2006. The number of households and users receiving home care have both fallen by 3 per cent.
• 78 per cent of the total contact hours of home care were provided by the independent sector to approximately 256,400 households. This compares with 75 per cent of contact hours and approximately 253,200 households in 2006.
• the average number of contact hours per household in 2007 was 11.6, compared to 10.8 in 2006. This suggests that more intensive services are being provided for a smaller number of service users, continuing the trend seen over the last 10 years.
• the gross annual expenditure on home care services was £2.6 billion in 2006-07 which is a 3 per cent increase in real terms on 2005-06.
• 13 per cent of households receiving care had only a single visit during the week compared with 14 per cent in 2006. In the vast majority of these cases the visit lasted 2 hours or less.

Social services staff

• in September 2007, Councils with Social Services Responsibilities (CSSRs) in England employed 208,600 Whole Time Equivalent (WTE) social services staff. This is a drop of 2 per cent from September 2006 and a drop of 7 per cent from September 1998.
• women accounted for 80 per cent of WTE staff the same as in 2006.
• 84 per cent of all WTE staff are known to be white. 12 per cent are from non-white ethnic groups (7 per cent are known to be of black ethnic origin, 3 per cent are of Asian origin, 1% are of mixed origin and 1% are of other origin) and 4% are of unknown ethnic origin.
• over a third of councils (34%) recorded more than the national average of 11 per cent for black and minority ethnic staff.

Commenting on the report, Robert Lake, Interim Director for Social Care Delivery at the IC said: “These figures show that local councils are continuing to do more to help people live independently in their own homes, with more resources being directed to those who need intensive help and support to remain independent, rather than moving into residential care. The figures also show the changing pattern of home care, with ever increasing use being made of the independent sector, which provided more than three quarters of the total contact hours.”

He continues: “The figures on social services staffing help support frontline services with their workforce planning.”

ENDS

Notes to editors

1. The NHS Information Centre for health and social care is England's authoritative, independent source of health and social care information. It works with more than 300 health and social care providers nationwide to provide the facts and figures that help the NHS and social services run effectively. Its role is to collect data, analyse it and convert it into useful information which helps providers improve their services and supports academics, researcher, regulators and policymakers in their work. The IC also produces a wide range of statistical publications each year across a number of areas including: primary care, health and lifestyles, screening, hospital care, population and geography, social care and workforce and pay statistics.
2. Community Care Statistics 2007 Home Care Services for adults, England (Annual Statistical Report) presents information provided by Councils with Adult Social Services Responsibilities (CASSRs) relating to home care services purchased or provided during a survey week in September 2007. Details were collected on the number of home care contact hours provided, the number of household visits by each sector, and the number of households receiving services. The full report can be found online at pubs/commcarestats07home
3. The Personal Social Services staff of Social Services Departments return presents information on staff employed by Councils with Social Services Responsibilities (CSSRs). It covers all staff, whether full or part time but does not cover agency staff or staff in the independent or voluntary sector. The full report can be found online at pubs/pssstaffsept07
4. For media enquires please call 0845 257 6990 or contact

Kristina Fox on 0113 254 7120, Kristina.fox@ic.nhs.uk

Fraser Woodward on 07983 629448, fraser.woodward@ic.nhs.uk

Sarah Dahlgren on 0113 254 7272, sarah.dahlgren@ic.nhs.uk