Health and social care in Fife is on the “brink of collapse” as managers consider a raft of controversial cuts to bridge a £12 million funding gap.
Frail and disabled people could be told to buy vital equipment such as toilet frames and walking sticks from Amazon from next year as the provision of items costing less than £35 comes under review.
Voluntary groups are also facing an average 4.3% cut to their budgets and the way palliative care is delivered to people in the end stages of life will be looked at.
Officials will now analyse the expected impact of the suggestions before a final decision is made.
But they have warned that even if they do go ahead it will still not be enough to break even and they may have to ask cash-strapped Fife Council and NHS Fife for more money.
Councillor Andrew Rodger stated he was no longer prepared to stand back and keep his mouth shut over the contentious proposals which he said could hit patients,staff and the voluntary sector.
Mr Rodger, vice chairman of the Fife Health and Social Care Partnership, said: “I want health and social care to work but I believe that it is on the brink of collapse.
“We have roughly a £12m deficit, of which 60% is down to the rise in the cost of medicines which is out of our control and is devolved to the UK Government.”
He said he hoped management would not pass the pressure on to GPs and other public sector and voluntary service staff rather than challenging the Westminster Government for more money.
And he added: “They want to make palliative care services savings of £590,000 and dress it up that they are going to ask the voluntary sector to establish different pathways of care.
“But wait for it, they want to take £277,000 from the voluntary sector as well.
“Integration was about shifting the balance of care from the acute sector to the community but what we are seeing in Fife is major deficits in health passported to councils.
“I will be suggesting to the leader of our council that if there is not a major change in financing we revert back to protecting our council budget and let health look after its own.”
Potential cuts to the voluntary sector has caused alarm among many members of the Partnership but director of health and social care Michael Kellet said: “We ask for permission to do further work and assessment of the risk and impact.”
