Across England, the adult social care system is struggling to meet need, let alone ambition. In Essex, the pressures are acute. We are ageing faster than most areas, our costs are among the highest in the country, and demand is becoming more complex, including among working-age adults. The number of older people in Essex with life-limiting conditions is predicted to rise by 40 per cent by 2030.
Much of the debate around local government reorganisation has focused on savings and funding. That matters, but the real opportunity lies in service redesign. Done right, structural reform could build a system that supports independence, delivers effectively, and makes better use of the resources already rooted in our places.
