Tag: COSLA

Strategy sets out plan for Scotland’s health and social care workforce

A new framework to shape Scotland’s health and social care workforce over the next decade places training, wellbeing, job satisfaction and the principles of Fair Work at its heart.

The National Workforce Strategy for Health and Social Care in Scotland, co-produced with COSLA, identifies the five key areas which will support the creation of a sustainable, skilled workforce as the sector rebuilds from the pandemic.

The publication, the first of its kind, stresses the need to plan, attract, train, employ and nurture staff.

Over the next five years, the Strategy commits to increasing the NHS workforce by 1,800 full time posts – these posts are in addition to projected required workforce growth. Later this year the Scottish Government will publish, for the first time, projections of required workforce growth across health and social care, which will be reviewed annually.

Other key actions include:  

  • Investing £11 million over this parliament to establish the Centre for Workforce Supply and fund recruitment campaigns to grow the health and social care workforce
  • Increasing the number of undergraduate medical school places over the course of this parliament by 500
  • Supporting up to 1,800 training places through the National Transition Training Fund for those interested in roles in adult social care
  • Recruiting 800 additional GPs by 2028
  • Further improving  staff wellbeing measures, which have already been supported by record financial investment this year
  • Increasing frontline health spending by at least 20% over this parliament and increasing adult social care investment by at least by 25%

Health boards, local authorities and health and social care partnerships will play a central role in delivering the Strategy through their three year workforce plans, the first of which will be developed this year.

Health and Social Care Secretary Humza Yousaf said: “Our hardworking and compassionate health and social care staff have been on the frontline of patient care through the unprecedented challenges of the pandemic, and I am incredibly grateful to them all.

“While we have seen continued growth in our NHS and social care workforce over the past decade, we need more than sheer numbers alone as we continue to care for patients and plan for the future.

“This strategy is designed to embed a new long term approach. It commits to understanding the change in demand for services as we recover, rebuild and transform our health service, and how we can achieve a more sustainable, skilled workforce which makes careers in health and social care – at all levels – more attractive.

“The health and social care system continues to undergo rapid change, with exciting opportunities created by new technology, data and analytical services. Working with key partners, this strategy will help ensure that services are delivered by a sustainable, well trained and supported workforce.”

Councillor Stuart Currie, COSLA’s Health and Social Care spokesperson, said: “Scotland’s health and social care workforce has been at the forefront of the pandemic response. Working in extremely challenging environments, they have faced unprecedented pressures and made many individual sacrifices.

“Partners working across health and social care must now adopt a strategic approach to the recovery, growth and transformation of the workforce that supports the wellbeing of workers, a continued shift to prevention and the provision of high quality support and care for citizens.

“The values, outcomes and actions outlined in this Strategy provide a foundation for excellence in planning, attracting, developing and nurturing the Health and Social Care workforce, at national and local levels.”

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EIS Manifesto Calls for Education Investment

Union demands Fair Deal for Teachers

The EIS will launch its Education Manifesto ahead of May’s Scottish local authority elections at today’s meeting of the national EIS Council.

EIS General Secretary Larry Flanagan said: “The EIS Manifesto calls for increased investment and enhanced support for schools, teachers and students to support the vital process of education recovery following the Covid pandemic.

“The EIS is challenging all political parties and all election candidates to make clear commitments to providing improved support for Scottish education.”

“The Manifesto also calls for increased investment in the teacher workforce, including the recruitment of additional teachers, to support education recovery.

Mr Flanagan said, “There is a very clear and urgent need to address shortages within the teacher workforce to support education recovery. This must include the employment of additional teachers, on permanent and secure contracts.

“Currently, around 10% of Scotland’s teachers are employed on short-term and temporary contracts – this is a scandal that local authorities must commit to tackling as a matter of urgency. Early delivery of existing commitments to reduce teachers’ class contact time must also be a priority, and steps to reduce class sizes to support education recovery must be taken by councils.

“We are also calling for urgent improvements in support for teacher wellbeing, including mental health, in the wake of the Covid pandemic which has heaped huge additional pressures on staff.”

A commitment to fair pay for Scotland’s teachers is also central to the EIS Manifesto, following long delays in pay negotiations in recent years. Scotland’s teachers are still awaiting a pay settlement for 2021, as a result of prolonged procrastination and delay by the council body COSLA.

EIS Council will decide today whether to ballot members over the latest revised pay offer. The EIS is calling on all parties to re-commit to the principles of collective bargaining via the agreed forum, the Scottish Negotiating Committee for Teachers (SNCT).

Other priorities in the Manifesto include: enhancing support for schools; a commitment to high-quality pre-5 education led by teachers; proper resourcing to support young people with Additional Support Needs (ASN); funding to support initiatives aimed at tackling the equality impact of poverty on young people’s education.

EIS-ManifestoDownload

Additional funding boost for councils

An amendment will be brought forward during Stage 2 of the Budget Bill to allocate an additional £120 million to local authorities. The funding represents the equivalent of a 4% Council Tax rise.

Finance Secretary Kate Forbes said whilst councils have full flexibility in setting local council tax rates, there is no requirement for any inflation-busting increases in 2022-23.

The money is being made available after the UK Government advised that the Scottish Government should anticipate further funding for 2021-22, funding which will be confirmed at the Spring Supplementary Estimates next month.

Speaking during the Stage One Budget Bill debate, Ms Forbes said: “I am in no doubt about the important role local authorities play in our communities and in helping manage our ongoing response to the pandemic. I also understand the financial challenges they face.

“The 2022-23 Scottish Budget remains fully allocated and for weeks the UK Government has been telling us not to expect further funding. That has now suddenly changed and the UK Government has advised that we should anticipate further funding for 2021-22 which will be confirmed at the Spring Supplementary Estimates next month.

“Consequently I now have some new flexibility and am pleased to confirm my intention to utilise the Scotland Reserve to carry forward sufficient funding to allow me to allocate a further £120 million of resource to local government. Councils will have complete flexibility to allocate this additional funding as they wish in 2022-23.

“Councils asked for an additional £100 million to deal with particular pressures. We have heard them and listened and we are going to go further. This will allow them to deal with the most pressing issues they face.

“At a time when people are understandably worried about the cost of living, I would point out this increase in funding would be equivalent to a 4% increase in Council Tax next year, so whilst councils have full flexibility in setting local council tax rates, I do not believe that there is a requirement for any inflation-busting increases next year.”

Urgent action needed to address critical issues in delivery of social care

Action is needed now to change how Scotland’s social care services are delivered so that it meets the needs, and improves the experience of, people relying on care and support, say Scotland’s spending watchdogs.    

The joint briefing by the Accounts Commission and the Auditor General for Scotland says fundamental issues and threats to the future sustainability of Scotland’s social care system need to be addressed. The pandemic has exacerbated long-standing challenges, highlighting the precarious situation of many vulnerable people who rely on social care or support.  

Over £5 billion a year is spent on delivering social care services, yet some services are at near crisis point. There needs to be a shift in how this money is used, with a far greater emphasis needed on preventative care that meets the needs of individual people. Service users do not always have a choice or say about what support works best for them. Nor are carers getting all the support and advice they need, despite existing legislation.  

Now the Scottish Government, together with its partners, must listen and bring together the views and experiences of service users and carers. This will support the delivery of their long-held ambitions for social care. 

The 200,000-strong workforce is under immense pressure and feels undervalued. There is a high vacancy rate and a continuing problem of recruiting and retaining this workforce into roles which often have low pay and poor conditions of employment. At the same time demand for social care services continues to increase. 

Commissioning social care services tends to focus on cost, rather than quality or outcomes. Worrying limitations in social care data has created major gaps in the information needed to inform improvements.  

William Moyes, Chair of the Accounts Commission, said: “There are significant problems with the delivery of social care services. These services are vital, yet we have a workforce that’s not adequately valued or regarded.

“Staffing shortages are a major issue across the sector and not all people’s needs are being met. Too often a focus on costs comes at the expense of delivering high quality services that aren’t at the heart of the needs of individuals. The additional funding to achieve this will be significant. Not taking action now presents a serious risk to the delivery of care services for the people who depend on them.

Stephen Boyle, Auditor General for Scotland, said: “We cannot wait another five years until the planned National Care Service is in place. Action must happen now, and at speed, by the Scottish Government.

“There must be clear timescales for delivery, demonstrating that lessons have been learnt from previous reforms of health and social care services. This will create a strong foundation for the government’s vision to create a National Care Service.”

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COSLA’s Health and Social Care Spokesperson, Councillor Stuart Currie, responded to the Audit Scotland report on social care: ‘The Audit Scotland report sets out many of the challenges that Local Government has consistently highlighted for many years now.

“There is an urgent need to address these challenges – many of which have been exacerbated by the pandemic – by working with our partners across Scottish Government, in the third and independent sector, and most importantly, people with lived experience.  

“We agree with Audit Scotland  that Social Care reform cannot wait for a National Care Service to be implemented. Local authorities are central to delivering the right care at the right time in the right place.

“Local Government recognises that we cannot stand still if we want to create meaningful change for our communities. We continue to work with Scottish Government to progress our shared commitments outlined in our Joint Statement of Intent so that we can now begin to implement much of the reform that was called for in the Independent Review of Adult Social Care.

“Fundamental to these shared commitments is a recognition that through empowering people, valuing our workforce and embedding a human rights-based approach in social care, we can begin to deliver real solutions for our local communities, unpaid carers, and our workforce.”

Councillors deserve pay increases, says COSLA

Real Living Wage claim for Scotland’s councillors

With the role of the Councillor changing dramatically over the last few years, the time is right to review the job – and its pay, COSLA said this week.

COSLA President Councillor Alison Evison says there has to be a ‘realistic’ review of remuneration for the role, and called for the Scottish Government to look at Councillors’ salaries.

The current offering of £18,604 per year simply ‘does not cut the mustard,’ said Councillor Evison, especially given Councillors work on average, 38.5 hours per week according to our research.

COSLA is now calling for Councillors to be paid the Real Living Wage, as a minimum.

Speaking as she launched the summary findings of a Councillor Remuneration Survey, Councillor Evison said:  “The time has come for a realistic look at the remuneration for the role of a Councillor.

“In less than five months, on May 5, Scotland once again goes to the polls to elect the representatives who are the closest to their communities – their local Councillors.

“The Survey we are releasing today is a pivotal opportunity to think about the kind of modern Councillor we want, and about the changes that we need to make to attract candidates who could make a real difference to communities across the country.

“Together with my elected member colleagues, I already passionately believe in local democracy as a real positive force for good within our communities – that is why we stand for election.  However to meet the next challenge we need realistic and proper remuneration that better reflects the role of a modern day Councillor.

“All of us within Scottish Local Government want to harness the power of a more locally democratic way of doing things, to enable a more diverse range of voices at the decision-making table,  and to overhaul participation in council policy-making across the country – but people need to be properly remunerated to make this rhetoric a reality.”

Councillor Evison continued: “The current salary for a councillor is £18,604 and that quite frankly does not cut the mustard.

“A survey undertaken by COSLA as part of removing barriers to elected office work clearly shows that councillors from all political parties and none feel that the time has arrived for this new, radical and bold approach to Councillors’ remuneration as part of a wider package of action to increase Councillor diversity and address financial barriers to elected office for underrepresented groups.

“We are excited about what can be achieved, but we know that to attract a more diverse range of people to the role of the modern Councillor simply will not happen without a commitment from Scottish Government to look at Councillor remuneration.

“We are not asking for anything too bold, our starting point is that as a minimum, Councillors should be paid the Real Living Wage for hours worked.

“There would rightly be uproar if Councils did not pay their employees the Real Living Wage – therefore why not Councillors, who according to our survey findings work 38.5 hours per week?

“The Real Living Wage would still only put Councillors in the same bracket as the Care/Retail and Hospitality Sectors.”

New mobile app to help access free period products

PickupMyPeriod connects to hundreds of venues across Scotland

A mobile app has been launched to allow users to identify locations across Scotland where period products can be accessed for free.

The PickupMyPeriod app currently links to over 700 venues in many communities where free products are available – and the number is expected to grow where further local authorities join the app.

Scotland was the first country in the world to make period products widely available for free – firstly in schools, colleges and universities, then followed by wider access in communities. The PickupMyPeriod app builds on this world-leading work.

Social Justice Secretary Shona Robison launched the app virtually with pupils from St Paul’s High School in Glasgow, where the council has worked closely with students in the delivery of free period products since the policy was introduced.

Ms Robison said: “The app is a fantastic tool that will help everyone who wants to access free period products for themselves, a family member or friend to easily find them in many places across Scotland.

“I’m thankful for the support of local authorities in the implementation of access to free period products in Scotland. Young women and girls have been crucial in developing the best ways to access products to meet their needs and I’m grateful to them for sharing their views.”

COSLA President, Councillor Alison Evison, added: “Having recognised the impact lack of access to period products may have on individuals, Local Government has a longstanding commitment to provide free products both in education and community settings for those who may need them.

“As we look towards the implementation of the Period Products Act, I am delighted that work undertaken on period dignity both locally and nationally continues to progress and welcome the launch of the new app as a tool which can support this.”

Celia Hodson, Founder & CEO of Hey Girls and My Period, said: “This is a ground-breaking project for Scotland. For the first time, people across the country will be able to use an app to find and access free period products that they can walk or drive to easily.

“As a Scottish-based social enterprise whose core goal is to help eradicate period poverty, it was great to have our app idea adopted, part-funded and supported by the Scottish Government.

“PickupMyPeriod will act as a fantastic tool to raise awareness of period poverty and equality, as well as providing support to people who need a little extra support across Scotland.”

IOS – PickupMyPeriod app

Android – PickupMyPeriod app

Joint pledge to ensure essential support for social care prioritised

Support for social care is to be intensified as a national priority alongside the NHS and emergency services, as staffing pressures and increased demand reflect the extent and nature of the spread and effect of Omicron.

As a result of staffing availability due to Covid,  the Scottish Government and COSLA, working with local partners across the public services in Scotland, have agreed a joint approach to maximise social care support to ensure people receive the care they need, dignity and human rights are upheld, and to avoid further pressure falling on the NHS.

Some local public services report that pressure is very significant with some health and social care partnerships being asked to prioritise capacity and identify staff who can be deployed to sustain and maintain support for some of the most vulnerable people in society. This may mean some other services are temporarily paused or reduced to redeploy capacity and expertise.

Deputy First Minister John Swinney said: “In order to protect life preserving services, and protect the vulnerable, local authorities and public services will prioritise what they deliver in the weeks ahead as a result of staffing availability due to Covid.

“That may mean some services being closed for a period or operating on reduced hours or service levels. This will free up resources to make sure we can deliver core, essential services. As soon as demands and resources allow, any affected services will resume normal operation.

“People across public services and critical national infrastructure are working hard to keep essential services going. In a lot of cases they are already being asked to be flexible to cover for absent colleagues.

“I am grateful to everyone who is helping us through this difficult period. The Third Sector has a huge amount to offer while the private sector and employers can contribute, either by releasing staff who can help in this effort,  or by supporting carers leave for family and friends who might need it.

“Local public services are delivering national priorities and programmes such as testing and vaccination programmes, delivering business grants, self-isolation grants and support, and much more.

“They have played a key role throughout the pandemic in supporting vulnerable people and key workers. That partnership between local and national government is, and will remain, essential.”

COSLA President Alison Evison said: “Once again, no matter the ask, councils along with other public services will rise to the challenge in terms of providing an appropriate local response. As the sphere of government closest to our communities across Scotland, once more Local Government will play our part in the Covid response. 

“Where pressures on staffing levels are identified, help and support for those most vulnerable as well as the life and limb services in our communities will be prioritised.  As it has been throughout the pandemic, Health and Social Care and keeping people safe will be front and centre of local prioritisation.”

Scottish Government and Cosla Joint statement  on social care support

Extra £16 million committed to tackle homelessness in Scotland

Scotland’s Councils are being given an extra £16 million to help tackle homelessness by moving people swiftly from temporary accommodation into settled homes.

The funding, to be awarded over the next two financial years, takes the total investment in rapid rehousing to £53.5 million. Rapid rehousing aims to ensure people spend the shortest amount of time possible in temporary accommodation, giving them a settled place to live as soon as appropriate.

The package includes an investment of £6.5 million in the Housing First pathfinder to support people with multiple and complex needs.

Housing Secretary Shona Robison said: “Tackling homelessness is about much more than just providing a bed for the night. Temporary accommodation is an important safety net, but most people need a settled place to stay where they can rebuild their lives.

“Rapid rehousing is based around the idea that most people need a settled home, and this new funding will help councils progress their Rapid Rehousing Transition Plans to move people as quickly as possible into appropriate, settled accommodation.

“The best way to reduce the number of households in temporary accommodation is to prevent homelessness from happening in the first place, and today’s announcement follows the recent publication of our consultation on plans for new legal duties on public bodies, highlighting the shared public responsibility to prevent homelessness in Scotland.”

Rapid Rehousing Transition Plans cover an initial period of five years from 2019. The new funding comprises £8 million in 2022/23 and £8 million in 2023/24.

Consultation on prevention of homelessness duties: Closing date 31 March 2022.

Preventing Homelessness: Scottish Government opens consultation

Views sought on proposed legal duties for public bodies

Health and social care services, children’s services, police and other public bodies will have a legal duty to ‘ask and act’ to prevent homelessness under Scottish Government proposals.

The measures would be part of new laws aimed at preventing homelessness, based on recommendations from an expert group convened by the charity Crisis at the request of the Scottish Government. They would represent the biggest change to Scotland’s homelessness legislation in almost a decade.

Public bodies would have a legal duty to identify anyone at risk of homelessness and either take action themselves or refer on to more appropriate help.

A consultation on the plans, run jointly with COSLA, will give people with experience of homelessness, alongside those from the housing sector, public bodies and others, the chance to share their views and help shape Scotland’s approach to preventing homelessness.

Social Justice Secretary Shona Robison said: “We know that the best way to end homelessness is to prevent it from happening in the first place. These new proposals build on the strong housing rights that already exist in Scotland for people who become homeless.

“Early action should be a shared public responsibility, giving people facing homelessness more choice and control over where they live.

“Homelessness is often a traumatic and unsettling experience that can have a profound impact on the lives of those involved, including children.

“By intervening at an earlier stage, and encouraging services to work together to respond to people’s needs, we can ensure fewer people and families are faced with having to re-build lives affected by homelessness.

“This will further add to our existing ambitious programme of work and investment to ensure everyone has a safe, warm place to call home.”

Jon Sparkes, Chief Executive of Crisis, said: “We strongly support plans for new duties for public bodies to prevent homelessness in Scotland. 

“Scotland has made huge progress in its journey towards ending homelessness in recent years, but while the country has powerful protections in place for people experiencing homelessness, far too many people are being forced to reach crisis point before they get the help they need. 

“Everyone has a role to play in preventing homelessness, and by introducing new duties requiring public services to ask about someone’s housing situation, and offer them the help they need, we can build a truly world leading system of homelessness prevention.” 

Councillor Kelly Parry, COSLA Spokesperson for Community Wellbeing said: “People have a right to a place they can call home. Rough sleeping and sofa surfing is something we have always worked to eliminate.

“We welcome the proposal that the duty to end homelessness will be shared with other public bodies and look forward to being closely engaged in the consultation with other partners”.

Prevention of Homelessness Duties consultation – closes 31 March 2022

COSLA: Budget ‘barely allows local government to survive’

Following a full meeting of Council Leaders yesterday (Friday) COSLA said it cannot accept  the essential services provided by Scottish Local Government being once again overlooked by the Scottish Government in yesterday’s budget announcement.

COSLA described the budget as a bad deal for communities and warned that serious financial challenges in key service areas lay ahead for Scotland’s Councils.

Speaking this afternoon COSLA’s Resources Spokesperson Councillor Gail Macgregor said:  “My initial feeling is one of real disappointment for our communities.  Once again Local Government has been treated as the poor relation of the public sector.

“This settlement represents £100m cut to our core Settlement, before any other pressures such as National Insurance costs,  pay or inflation are taken into account.

“We wanted a Budget for Local Government that enables people to Live Well Locally – what we have is a budget that barely allows Local Government to survive.

“We are left in a position where we do not have adequate funding to provide our range of essential services and support recovery from COVID.

“Many essential services provided by Scottish Local Government are in a fairly precarious position as a result of cuts to Councils’ core budgets and direction on spend towards Scottish Government priorities over the last few years.”

Councillor Macgregor continued:  “In terms of Council Tax- whilst we welcome the removal of the cap and the recognition that this is a local tax that should be decided locally – we cannot put the burden of a poor settlement onto hard pressed families.  That is simply not fair.“

Council Leaders were unanimous today that we need to work together, with one Local Government voice, to raise our concerns at the highest level of Scottish Government.

COSLA President Councillor Alison Evison said that it was beyond frustrating that Local Government’s ambition to enable people to Live Well Locally has been totally disregarded.

Councillor Evison added:  “Whichever way you look at it, the reality of the situation is that yet again the essential services Councils deliver have been overlooked by the Scottish Government. There is no recognition that these very services are the bedrock for additional policies and priorities which the Scottish Government wants councils to provide.

“It is beyond frustrating that the importance of Local Government’s role in enabling Communities to Live Well Locally across Scotland, has not been reflected in the Budget announcement.

“The Scottish Government has to realise that cuts to our core budget hit the most vulnerable in our communities the hardest and are damaging to our workforce.  That is why Council Leaders were unanimous today that we must fight for a fairer settlement.

“The consequences of us not doing this would be disastrous for our communities and workforce.

“It adds insult to injury the fact that the NHS in Scotland has been compensated for the increase in their National Insurance costs whilst we haven’t.  So unlike Councils in England who have also been compensated for these our costs will once again have to be taken from frontline services.”