Unit 517 Assignment 1

Words: 536
Pages: 3

Introduction
Motivation
Ensuring the right level of care for those in need is one of the defining characteristics of a strong society. Individuals with learning disabilities (LD) are among the most vulnerable but sidelined people in many societies. From data collected by the United Kingdom government, it was estimated that there were about 1,087,100 people with LD including 930,400 adults in 2015 in
England1. According to the Department of Health, LD includes those with a significantly reduced ability to understand new or complex information, learn new skills and reduced ability to cope independently. In other words, impaired intelligence and impaired social functioning that has had a lasting effect on their development. Few adults with LD have a steady income; but most have
many
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Local councils in England have a legal responsibility to provide funding to those individuals with LD whose families cannot afford the care. And figures collected from 152 local authorities in England show that in 2014, £17.2 billion was spent on social service support for adults. Hence, it is vital to find the right balance between lowering costs and improving quality in
1https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/613182/PWLDIE_2015_main_report_NB090
517.pdf order maintain the best level of care provision. An economic analysis targeted at achieving better cost savings and greater efficiency in the LD residential care market could help policymakers comprehend this issue better and perhaps improve the pricing policies and regulations of this industry. It must be kept in mind that the level of care provision must be maintained (as is required by law) and that the quality of care must also be maintained because that is the mandate of basic social morality.
While the National Health Service (NHS) funds most of the service, the true preferences of these service users may not be accurately captured by government procurement plans (especially