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| Page last updated: Monday 21 December, 2009 2:57 PM | |
What does the future hold...?
Well...it's that time of year again. The tree is decorated, the meal is planned and the merriment is anticipated - all we need now is the Big Man to deliver!
It is the time of year when we take stock of where we are and start to look forward to where we want to be - so what's in store for 2010?
There's no doubt we are all going to face cuts in public services, the country needs to start repaying the collosal debt and the money has to come from somewhere.
We would like to hope that Rehab Specialists will not be affected too greatly - after all there aren't many of us - and that services will continue pretty much as they have been, however, past experience shows us that whenever cuts are mentioned it normally affects all areas of social services. We are aware from earlier in the year that training budgets were cut, and that some rehab posts were cut or staff referred to 'job evaluation' - we should probably expect more of this in the year to come.
Equipment budgets - already slashed to a minimum in many areas of the country - are again likely to come into focus, and surely the 'personalisation programme' will attract the gaze of the cost cutters? Another obvious area is that of salaries - we have already heard of proposals to cap (cut) the pay of 'high earners' within the public sector - are we heading for a series of 'wildcat strikes' as workers in Social services protest at wage 'freezes'?
We would like to know if you have been asked to look at how you (or your team) could save money - maybe you have an innovative idea that could be shared across the UK? Maybe there is a 'freeze' on recruitment or more 'job sharing' going on? - whatever is happening in your team let us know.
With Local Authorities under extreme pressure to look 'creatively' at how they can reduce their outgoings it may well be a year for personally 'battening down the hatches' and weathering the storm.
Let us know your opinion - e-mail info@rehabworker.co.uk
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