“HELPING people help themselves” was the key message – as health bosses set out their new social care strategy.

Presenting the 2018-2022 strategy to the council’s health and wellbeing board, cabinet member Coun Brian Ford said: “One of the straplines [of the strategy] is that people are living longer, but not necessarily healthier longer and we are changing our focus and strategy slightly into helping people to help themselves and other people to help people to help themselves.

“It’s something that’s got to happen because there’s not an endless pot of money to have people cared for. There are lots of people out there who can be re-enabled and can help themselves more.”

The council’s adult social care bill this year came to an astonishing £67.3 million – more than 40 per cent of the borough’s total budget.

And with the number of people over-85 expected to rise by 136 per cent by 2031, council chiefs say that there is a need to “manage within our means, promoting and enabling independence”.

In practical terms it means more signposting to online services, shorter-term care packages with “clear end dates” and more joined-up working with other NHS services.

Under the Care Act, everyone has the right to have their care needs assessed. But Sue Wald, director of adult social services, was quick to say that there was “no right to social care”.  She said: “You have a right to contact us and for us to assess your needs and your eligibility, but there’s no right to services as such.”

The board voted to approve the draft strategy. It will now go to Swindon Borough Council’s cabinet and the Swindon Clinical Commissioning Group for discussion.