Lancashire Council Revamps Home Adaptations to Speed Up Discharges

Changes to the home adaptations service in Lancashire aim to significantly reduce hospital discharge delays. The new plan, approved by Lancashire County Council, involves transferring the delivery of minor modifications to nine local district councils. These adaptations, costing under £1,000, are designed to help individuals maintain their independence at home, ultimately decreasing reliance on care services.

This realignment comes with an increased budget of £2.17 million allocated for the 13 months leading to the end of December 2026. The funding will support essential modifications such as the installation of handrails and hoists, which can greatly assist daily living and nursing care. Three districts have opted out of the agreement, but specific names were not disclosed. The council will retain £450,000 to continue delivering services in those areas.

New Flexible Model for Service Delivery

The new structure allows local councils to either commission local contractors or manage the work themselves. According to a cabinet report, this approach aims to utilize local resources and expertise more effectively. Graham Dalton, the cabinet member for adult social care, emphasized that inconsistencies in pricing across the districts rendered the previous county-level system inefficient.

Dalton noted, “This new setup will allow for flexibility while maintaining accountability and continuity.” The formal agreement mandates that the county council will establish “clear outcomes and evidence requirements” to ensure that local authorities meet their delegated responsibilities.

Local opposition leader Gina Dowding praised the initiative, stating it recognizes that “providing services locally can be more effective and more efficient, leading to better outcomes for local people.”

Envisioning a Two-Tier Future

County council leader Stephen Atkinson articulated that the revised model reflects the intended division of responsibilities between local authorities in a two-tier system, a structure established during the last local government reform in 1974. “The districts would deliver those local services and the county would deliver the strategic services,” Atkinson explained. “When we get back to that, we’re at our best.”

Despite the potential benefits of this system, the future of the two-tier model in Lancashire faces uncertainty. A government-ordered restructuring is set to create standalone councils that will manage all services within their respective areas by 2028, leading to the dissolution of the current 15 main local authorities in the county.

With these changes, Lancashire County Council aims to streamline its home adaptations program, ultimately improving the support available for residents and enhancing their ability to return home from hospital or care settings without unnecessary delays.