Barnet UNISON respond to CUTS to Adult Social Services

Summary

1) UNISON members have given a strong mandate to UNISON to register their disagreement with the proposals outlined in the document to the employer.

2) The proposals see around 18% of jobs in Adults and Communities excluding mental health being lost. Whilst this is offset by the creation of 22 jobs and the reduction then falls to around 9%, the majority of those new posts are in place of higher paid and professional posts. Whilst there are fewer hard redundancies there is huge concern as to how any consequent increase in workload can be managed in a safe way against a backdrop of a workforce already struggling to keep on top of managing the work safely.

3) Social worker posts are to be reduced by 36.8%

4) In addition the proposal to replace social workers with Assessment and Enablement officers who will then be supervised by social workers is viewed by both social workers and AEOs as particularly risky to residents and staff.

5) The proposals are set against a backdrop of the delivery unit being lined up to be outsourced is adding to a sense of demoralisation and is destabilising the workforce as colleagues look to leave and gain work where they can be more assured of retaining their terms and conditions.

6) UNISON believes staff reductions of 9% will both place residents and workers at unacceptable risk and that the Council has no alternative than to use its reserves to fund the shortfall in the budget.

7) The post of Director of Strategic Commissioning has become vacant and UNISON proposes this post is deleted. This is an estimated saving of some £200,000.

8) The post of Adults and Health Commissioning Director should be deleted and these functions reintegrated into the Adults Delivery Unit. This is an estimated saving of some £200,000.

9) Most Lead Practitioner posts are currently vacant and, if filled, would help alleviate some of the strain of the provision of supervision which exists.

10) The deletion of service manager roles creates a potential problem for career progression for team leaders.

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