WORRIED parents and relatives across Teignbridge fear changes to funding for adult social care will leave disabled and vulnerable people with reduced help and support.

Residents with learning difficulties and other disabilities living in supported accommodation are funded by Devon County Council but the authority is currently reviewing the arrangements.

Staff and relatives have expressed their concerns that the review will lead to individuals receiving fewer hours of care.

One relative, Paula Tippett, whose 50-year-old sister has learning difficulties, was shocked when she was told how many fewer hours care would be provided.

She said: ‘It is a constant worrying and I don’t know my sister’s going to manage.

‘I have been told her care will be reduced from 54 hours a week, shared with three other ladies, and eight hours of personal care for things like going to the bank or doctors appointments, to 16 hours of shared care and just one for her personal needs.

‘I understand cuts have to be made and we were expecting a few hours a week but not this level.

‘I feel it was done very quickly and I feel it was somewhat underhand.

‘My sister is vulnerable and as she gets older, she will need more care, not less.

‘She has lived in this supported living for 10 years and she won’t understand why she is receiving less care.’

She said her sister, who was brought up on a farm, also enjoyed several visits a week to a local farm but this too has now been withdrawn.

County councillor Gordon Hook says he has been approached by relatives, and staff, who fear the impact of what they believe will be cut backs in supervision.

He said: ‘These people are concerned and anxious and are being kept in the dark about what is happening.

‘The imminent changes in provision appear to include a massive reduction in the hours of the care workers, with a consequent reduction in the levels of supervision and safe living for residents.

‘Surely one measure of a civilised society is how it treats its elderly and sick.

‘If these proposals are being implemented, then we truly have become a sick society as we abandon those most in need of help.’

But Devon County Council insists it is not making less funding available, only addressing an historic issue which has led to paying more to care providers than the authority has needed to.

In some cases, the council said, it has been paying multiple times for care for one person.

One example is where the authority has paid a provider for 24-hour-a-day support for residents who, for part of the day, are offsite, accessing day services that are also provided by the council.

Talks between the council and care providers began last year, and funding arrangements have been reviewed, leaving care providers to work out with residents the required level of support.

Cllr Stuart Barker, the council’s cabinet member for adult social care, explained: ‘The council is not making less funding available.

‘Funding is still there to ensure that people get the support they need.

‘We are working with care providers to make sure that they provide the level of support needed to meet their residents’ needs.

‘We are, however, putting a stop to paying, possibly multiple times, for things not required to meet people’s assessed care needs.

‘We are continuing to fully fund people’s eligible care needs and are ensuring that their support plans are in place to make sure this happens.’

Some care staff have also not been kept informed of the new arrangements and say there have been working hour reductions.

They fear there could be safeguarding issues.

Cllr Hook has asked for an explanation how the residents are supposed to live safely if the cuts are introduced.

He has also asked for an assurance that meetings will be held with worried relatives and care workers to clarify the situation.