The Moray Integration Joint Board (IJB) has today (Thursday 27 March) approved its budget for 2025/26 following careful consideration of the significant financial challenges facing local health and social care services.
The IJB, which oversees the delivery of integrated adult and children’s services through Health & Social Care Moray (HSCM), has worked closely with its funding partners – NHS Grampian and Moray Council – to set a balanced budget that safeguards essential services while addressing a revised £10.5 million financial shortfall.
The current financial climate has resulted in mounting pressures across the whole public sector, with rising demand for services and increasing operating costs impacting operational delivery.
The approved revenue budget of £214m incorporates a £9.5m savings plan to be achieved through service redesign, efficiency improvements, and cost reductions. Additionally, £1m from earmarked reserves has been allocated to help stabilise finances. The initial estimate of a £12.2m funding gap has been refined based on further assessment.
Dennis Robertson, Chair of the Moray IJB, said: “Reaching a balanced budget in such a challenging financial climate has been extremely difficult. It is with the greatest consideration that these difficult decisions have had to be made to ensure our resources are focused on protecting frontline services as much as possible.
“We must take a responsible approach to long term financial sustainability to ensure the continued delivery of the best possible integrated health and social care services for the people of Moray, now and into the future.”
Councillor Elaine Kirby, who takes up the role of IJB Chair in April, said: “The pressures on public services are greater than ever, and we are not alone in facing these financial constraints. However, through collaboration and careful financial planning, we have set a budget that allows us to continue delivering high-quality care and support while making necessary efficiencies.
“We are committed to working closely with our staff and communities to navigate these changes and ensure we continue to meet local needs effectively.”
New savings proposals agreed today include reviewing self-directed support payments, redesigning palliative care, improving prescribing efficiencies, reducing staff overtime, and vacancy management. A 3.4% budget reduction will also be applied to services not already subject to an agreed savings plan.
Previously agreed savings for full implementation in 2025/26 include redesigning internal care services, mental health and out-of-hours services, community hospitals, and respite care. Further efficiencies will be achieved through reviewing care packages and implementing a digital and technology strategy.
Delivery of the savings programme will be closely monitored and reported regularly to the IJB.
The new savings proposals identified by HSCM teams for 2025/26 include:
- Review of self-directed support (SDS) packages to increase recovery of surplus direct payment funds (saving £350,000);
- Prescribing efficiencies programme working with GP practices and care homes to promote cost effective prescribing (saving £169,000);
- Reduction in staff overtime (saving £200,000);
- Review of provision of palliative care services (saving £117,000);
- Vacancy management across all services (saving £1.135m);
- A 3.4% budget reduction on all services not already subject to an agreed savings proposal (saving £2.021m).
Previously agreed savings for full implementation in 2025/26 include:
- Review and redesign of internal care at home service (saving £122,000);
- Redesign of mental health in-patient service including use of locums (saving £261,000);
- Redesign of GMED out of hours service (saving £110,000);
- Review of care packages and use of spot purchase spend versus block contract spend (saving £1.7m);
- New model of planned and emergency respite provision (saving £413,000);
- Embedding a proportionate care approach to meeting the complex moving and handling needs of individuals for internal and external providers of care (saving £555,000);
- Redesign of night time model of care delivery in services for people with a learning disability (saving £277,000);
- Redesign of community hospitals (saving £200,000);
- Review of contracts with commissioned service providers (saving £350,000);
- Review of day services (saving £220,000);
- Review of staffing arrangements for complex and challenging behaviour service (saving £159,000);
- Review of use of beds in care homes for people with a learning disability (saving £491,000);
- Digital and technology strategy (saving £100,000);
- Review of contract arrangements for transport (saving £146,000).
View the Moray IJB papers for 27 March, including the budget proposals, on the Moray Council website here.
