The director of social services in the Isle of Man says a strategy to get more vulnerable people into independant living is all about being more efficient, and is not a cost cutting exercise.

The DHSS has unveiled plans to get elderly people and those with learning disabilities into their own homes.

The move may result in some smaller care homes being closed but the residential homes for the elderly won't be affected.

Andrew Swithinbank spoke about the 'Living Life to the Full' strategy on Talking Heads today.

He said it was about choice, and spending money wisely:

"We are spending the money that we have which will remain the same, if not more, so there are no cuts involved in this, I must make that absolutely clear, we'll be spending at least as much money in the future as we have in the past.

"But what we've got to do is to make that money go as far as we possibly can, and to spend it as wisely as possible to meet the things that people are telling us they want and need for the future.

"And that means that we can't continue with just one approach, particularly if that approach is very expensive per person, because we do have to reduce the cost per person of providing services."