Tag: Health and Social Care

A National Care Service for Scotland?

Coalition of Care and Support Providers welcome Independent Review of Adult Social Care in Scotland

CCPS (Coalition of Care and Support Providers) has welcomed the publication of the Independent Review of Adult Social Care in Scotland and its call for a renewed purpose for social care with human rights at its heart.

CCPS are delighted by the commitment to a new narrative which replaces crisis with prevention and wellbeing, burden with investment, competition with collaboration and variation with fairness and equity.

We strongly endorse the call to put people front and centre of social care delivery – people who are supported by social care, their families and carers, and people who work in social care services.

We agree that Scotland already has strong foundations on which to build a National Care Service. We want to work with the Scottish Government, national and local stakeholders – including those who support people and people who are supported – to redesign the system to make the ambitions set out in the Review happen.

We wholeheartedly back the Review’s assertion of a duty to co-produce a new system with people who it is designed to support.

Over the coming weeks we will be working closely with our members to explore the Review’s recommendations in detail. As the membership body for third sector providers, we are especially interested in participating in the conversation about the Review’s recommendations on commissioning and procurement.

In 2020, we published our own contribution to that conversation, a series of Big Ideas about changing the way social care is planned, purchased, and paid for. We are grateful to the Review team for citing those ideas. In particular, we thank them for including as one of their recommendations, our suggestion to press pause on all current procurement in the context of a National Care Service, with a view to rapid, carefully planned implementation.

We agree with the Review team that implementation is the most significant challenge. Now is the moment for whole system change, hand in hand with the implementation of The Promise and the recommendations of the Social Renewal Advisory Board.

We would echo the Review Team’s own words – ‘If not now, when? If not this way, how? And if not us – who?’

Annie Gunner Logan, Chief Executive of CCPS said: “CCPS congratulates Derek Feeley and the Review team on completing a mammoth task in record time and their willingness to listen to many voices including those of providers and the people we support.

“Reform of social care in Scotland is long overdue. The COVID-19 pandemic has exposed fault lines which require radical overhaul and long-term change. It has also revealed what can be achieved when obstacles are removed in a crisis.

“We are heartened by the direction of travel set out in the Review. The challenge now must be to turn aspiration into implementation. Change is needed urgently but how it is achieved matters too.

“The debate about a National Care Service must not become a bunfight at the expense of those who provide social care and the people they support.

“The upcoming election period provides an opportunity to discuss the Review’s recommendations openly and widely. But when the votes have been counted, and Scotland gets down to the series business of design and implementation, their voices must be in every room, every step of the way.”

Responding to the publication of the Independent Review of Adult Social Care in Scotland Report yesterday, GMB Scotland’s Women’s Campaign Unit Organiser Rhea Wolfson said: “Scotland has a once in a generation opportunity to transform social care, if the recommendations of this report are underpinned by proper value for the workers who will deliver it.

“We are pleased the report acknowledges our campaign for a £15 an hour minimum wage in social care and we would stress to the government and the industry this is very achievable with collaboration and political will.

“The report is clear that if government and the industry invest properly in the sector and its people, the economic multiplier effects of social care spending could have transformative effects not just for workers’ pay and the quality of care, but for the equalities agenda and the wider economy.

“The COVID-19 pandemic ruthlessly exposed the long-standing crises in social care which everyone well understood, and for a workforce of mainly low-paid and often exploited women this has meant a chronic struggle for proper value and respect.

“After the crises and tragedy of the last eleven months, and with tough times still ahead of us, there is hope in these recommendations.

“If we are serious about what we really value as a society, then we have a chance to finally get the social care agenda right.”

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Home Carers to ballot for action over “No Confidence” in COVID testing roll-out

Home carers in Glasgow City Council’s Health and Social Care Partnership (HSCP) will launch a ballot for industrial action next week, warning they have “no confidence” over plans for workplace testing of COVID-19 and amid ongoing uncertainty surrounding the vaccination programme.

Over 1,700 GMB Scotland members will take part in a three-week ballot, running from Tuesday 19 January to Monday 8 February, meaning service delivery in the HSCP could be affected by action as early as the week beginning Monday 22 February.

It follows a massive 93 per cent support for action among GMB members in a consultative ballot last month, a direct response to the Scottish Government’s Winter Preparedness Plan which put home carers to the back of the queue in the roll-out of workplace testing delivery.

GMB Scotland Organiser David Hume said: “There is no confidence whatsoever among our members in their employer or the government to sufficiently protect their health and safety at work. And why should there be?

“They were failed on PPE at the outset of this pandemic, they have been left waiting ten months for workplace testing, and some are already encountering problems getting their first vaccine.

“The HSCP should have been fighting tooth and nail for every resource to protect the safety of their employees and their service users. Instead they have been sitting on zoom calls for nearly a year waiting on guidance from the Scottish Government, only for Ministers to leave councils carrying the can for testing delivery.

“The interests of these key workers have been consistently forgotten and they are being treated negligently by their employer, and this government.”

Concern over conditions in capital care home

Lothians MSP Miles Briggs has expressed concern over a failure to improve conditions at Braid Hills Nursing Centre.

The latest Care Inspectorate report reads:

Braid Hills Nursing Centre is registered to provide care to 95 older people and 24 adults with a physical disability. The provider is BUPA Care Homes (ANS) Limited.

We carried out an initial inspection of the service on 29 September and 1 October, with NHS Lothian. The findings were outlined in the report laid before Parliament on 14 October.

We completed a further visit on 12 November with NHS Lothian to follow up on the improvements required in relation to cleanliness, infection prevention and control, waste management, the use of PPE and staff knowledge. The findings were outlined in the report laid before Parliament on 25 November.

We determined that further progress was still required.

We visited the service again on 29 December. Improvements were not sufficient in respect of the standard of cleanliness, waste management, the use of PPE, staff practice and knowledge. Overall, the management oversight and quality assurance systems were ineffective.

We issued a letter of serious concern to the provider on 29 December which detailed immediate action the home must take.

We returned to the service on 2 January 2021. Although the service had made plans to address our concerns, progress was not sufficient to reassure us that people were being supported safely during the pandemic. We issued the service with an improvement notice on 4 January 2021.

We have informed Edinburgh health and social care partnership of our findings.

We will undertake a further visit to monitor the improvement notice.

This was a follow-up inspection. We did not change the service evaluations.

Lothians MSP Miles Briggs said: “This is extremely concerning that Braid Hills Nursing Centre has failed to make the necessary changes to make the care home safe.

“The care home has repeatedly been told to follow the necessary measures in respect to the standard of cleanliness, waste management, the use of PPE, staff practice and knowledge, but have refused to do so.

“Increased levels of Covid-19 in the community puts elderly care home residents at even greater risk and Braid Hills Nursing Centre’s license must be reviewed if they will not meet the necessary standards to keep residents safe.”

Care home to be suspended

A Midlothian nursing home will have its registration suspended after 15 residents died with Covid.

Edinburgh Sheriff Court heard that “virtually half” of residents of Thornlea Nursing Home in Loanhead had succumbed to the virus.

The court granted an interim suspension from 18 January, which will allow time to find alternative homes for the remaining residents.

Speaking before the hearing, a spokesperson for the Care Inspectorate said: “An inspection has identified serious and significant concerns about the quality of care experienced by residents at Thornlea Nursing Home in Loanhead, Midlothian. 

“We understand this is a difficult and distressing time for residents, their loved ones and staff at the home.

“However, our first priority is always the health and wellbeing of residents.

“Because of our concerns about the safety of residents we have submitted an application to the sheriff court seeking cancellation of the care home’s registration. 

“This could allow new care arrangements to be put in place for residents of the home.

“We are working closely with partners including Midlothian Health and Social Care Partnership and the Scottish Government to ensure that residents experience appropriate care during this difficult time.”

Hospital and care home visiting update

Keeping residents and patients safe over Christmas and New Year period.

Visiting arrangements for hospitals and care homes in Scotland will remain in place over the Christmas and New Year period, it has been confirmed.

For the general public, there will be UK-wide easing of restrictions on travel and gathering between 23 – 27 December.

However, in a joint-letter to NHS Boards, the interim Chief Medical Officer, Chief Nursing Officer and National Clinical Director clarified this would not apply to hospitals over the Christmas period, given the increased vulnerability of hospital patients compared to the general population.

Christmas and New Year guidance has also been published for the adult care home sector, recommending that indoor visiting should continue to be supported where it is safe to do so, as well as setting out specific safeguards that care homes can put in place to safely support festive activities.

Health Secretary Jeane Freeman said: “While most people will see a limited relaxation of existing restrictions over the holiday period, hospital and care home visiting guidance will remain in place to protect patients and residents.

“However, we are encouraging Boards and care homes to continue to apply this guidance with flexibility and compassion, given how important the Christmas and New Year period is for many families, to ensure no-one is unnecessarily isolated over the Christmas period. Essential visits should also continue regardless of local restrictions, as they have throughout the pandemic.

“In care homes this will be facilitated by testing of designated visitors, which will be rolled out to all care homes from Monday onwards. Testing is not required for visiting but it does add an additional layer of protection, and we will make PCR testing available for any care homes unable to make use of lateral flow tests before Christmas.

Coronavirus (COVID-19): hospital visiting guidance

Coronavirus (COVID-19): adult care homes guidance

Visiting in care homes is subject to care homes being free of any COVID-19 symptoms for 14 days, actively participating in the care home testing programme and having visiting risk assessments approved by the local Director of Public Health.

Letter to NHS Boards: see below:

LETTER-Christmas-Preparation-and-Visiting-GuidanceDownload

Testing for care home visitors gets underway this week

Coronavirus (COVID-19) testing for designated visitors of care home residents will start this week with a trial across five local authority areas.

From tomorrow (Monday 7 December), lateral flow testing of designated visitors will be trialled in 14 early adopter care homes in North Ayrshire, Fife, Argyll and Bute, Inverclyde, and Aberdeenshire.

Testing kits will then be sent out to all care homes from Monday 14 December, as announced by the First Minister on Wednesday, once guidance and training materials have been finalised following the trial.

For any care homes unable to make use of lateral flow tests before Christmas, PCR testing of visitors will be available when necessary to facilitate visiting over the festive period.

Health Secretary Jeane Freeman said: “This is a positive step for care homes, residents and their families and friends, that will provide another important layer of protection against COVID, alongside the essential PPE and infection prevention and control measures already in place.

“I’m very pleased to say we will be able to significantly accelerate the delivery of testing kits to all cares homes from 14 December, following the necessary trial phase to ensure we have the right guidance and training in place.

“This will require a significant amount of work from care homes, and we will continue to work closely with Health and Social Care Partnerships, Scottish Care, CCPS and COSLA as test kits are rolled out to ensure they have the support they need to deliver testing for designated visitors.

“However, it’s important to remember that testing does not replace the other vital layers of protection we have against COVID, and all of these – reducing contacts, keeping our distance, wearing face coverings, and vaccines when they come – work most effectively to stop the virus when they are used together.”   

Care home visiting guidance

Visiting arrangements will be different for each home but it is anticipated that testing will take place in a designated area in the care home.  Visitors will self-swab and the test will be conducted by care home staff. 

Where the test is negative visitor will continue to the visit using full PPE and infection prevention and control measures measures as outlined in current visiting guidance, where there is a positive result the visitor will be advised to leave the home, self-isolate and book a PCR test either online at NHSInform.scot, or by calling 0800 028 2816.

£500 bonus for health and social care staff

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has announced a one-off payment for Scotland’s lifesavers and care-givers on the frontline throughout the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

A pro rated payment of £500 will be made as soon as is practicable to all NHS and social care workers employed since 17 March 2020 – including staff who have had to shield, or who have since retired.

This investment of around £180 million will see over 300,000 staff gain some benefit from this bonus, including nurses, porters, doctors, primary care staff, homecare workers, care home staff, hospice staff and residential child care staff.

The First Minister said: “Back in the spring, at the height of the first wave of COVID, many of us publicly  – and often loudly – showed our appreciation for the work our NHS and social care staff were doing.

“The applause was important, but it was never enough. Our appreciation must be shown in a more tangible way.

“We’re in the early stages of negotiating a new pay deal for NHS Agenda for Change staff for 2021/22. The UK Government’s public sector pay policy will not make that task easy, but we will do our level best to give NHS staff the pay increase they deserve. However, these negotiations will take time to conclude.

“Those who have worked in our hospitals and care homes – at the sharpest end of the COVID trauma – deserve recognition now.

“So I can announce today that, on behalf of us all, the Scottish Government will give every full time NHS and social care worker £500 as a one-off thank you payment for their extraordinary service in this toughest of years. Those who work part time will get a proportionate share.

“The money will be paid in this financial year and it will be separate from any negotiations about pay for the longer term. There are no strings attached.

“Of course, a payment like this can never come close to expressing our full admiration for those who have cared for us so heroically. But to our health and care workers, it is a demonstration of what we collectively owe you – and a heartfelt thank you for the sacrifices you have made.”

The pro rata £500 bonus scheme, which will be funded from the Scottish Government’s COVID-19 support package, applies to employees employed since March 17, for:

All NHS Employees, including: 

  • staff who have been active in the NHS since 17 March 2020 but who have since left NHS employment, including retirees
  • staff who accepted and worked on temporary contracts since 17 March to aid pandemic response but who have since left NHS employment, including students who worked under temporary contracts but who have since returned to University
  • staff covered by the Two Tier Agreement
  • General Practitioners and their practice teams, including 2C practices

Staff providing NHS services under independent contractor arrangements including:

  • GP surgery staff
  • NHS Dental surgery staff
  • NHS pharmacy services staff
  • NHS optometry staff

Staff working in Adult Social Care including:

  • Care home staff
  • Homecare staff
  • Palliative care/hospice staff
  • Adult Personal Assistants
  • Social care staff in residential child care settings
  • Social Workers (including those working with children and families and in criminal justice)

Extra funding for Adult Social Care this winter

A plan outlining steps to prepare and support Scotland’s social care sector through the winter has been published.

The Adult Social Care Winter Preparedness Plan, backed by an additional £112 million in funding, will support social care users in residential, community and home settings, and the people who provide that care, including unpaid carers.

This new plan and additional investment will provide further support to the sector to respond the demands of winter alongside the ongoing challenges of coronavirus (COVID-19). Earlier this year the sector received an additional £150 million to deal with the financial implications of the pandemic, bringing this year’s total extra allocation for social care to £262 million.

An evidence paper has been published with the plan outlining how the new measures have been informed by lessons learned about COVID-19 to date, including last week’s Public Health Scotland discharge report and the Care Inspectorate’s Care at Home inquiry. The plan also takes into account the findings of the root cause analysis of care home outbreaks commissioned by the Cabinet Secretary, which is also published today.

Health Secretary Jeane Freeman said: “The coronavirus pandemic presents unprecedented challenges for everyone this winter, particularly those who are already vulnerable.

“One in 20 people in Scotland are recipients of adult social care and their needs are diverse. We have made this central to our approach, ensuring we support and protect people while prioritising their mental health and well-being.

“This is the first time we have published an adult social care plan. It has been produced with input from across all partners and I’m pleased to say that it has the support of our colleagues at COSLA. It sets out what support will be available for people who receive social care and those who provide that care this winter, as well as addressing the impacts COVID-19 has had on them and their families. 

“The new measures we are putting in place have been informed by the lessons we have learned so far, and the evidence paper published today outlines why these measures are necessary for winter. We will continue to take firm action to protect those who receive or provide social care, and adapt our guidance based on the latest scientific evidence and clinical advice.”

Councillor Stuart Currie, COSLA’s Health and Social Care Spokesperson, said: “The social care sector and Scotland’s social care workers have faced enormous challenges during the COVID-19 response, and the Adult Social Care Plan will enable them to continue to provide valuable help and support to those in the community that need it most.

“The pandemic has had a drastic impact on those that require support both at home and in residential settings, and the funding announced by the Scottish Government as part of the plan will go some way to addressing that.

“COSLA will continue to work with Scottish Government and partners across the sector to ensure that they receive the support they need to continue this vital work.”

Actions outlined in the plan include:

  • enhanced infection prevention and control, with £7 million for Health Boards to invest in Nurse Director teams
  • daily review of COVID-19 symptoms in care home residents and staff, including temperature checking so early testing can be undertaken and pre-emptive infection control measures put in place
  • expanded testing access for the care at home workforce and designated visitors as capacity increases
  • NHS National Services Scotland will continue to provide free of charge top-up and emergency provision of PPE to ensure staff, unpaid carers, and Social Care Personal Assistants have the PPE they need until at least the end of March 2021
  • prioritise a ‘home first’ approach to care, supporting people to stay home or in a homely setting with maximum independence for as long as possible
  • up to £500,000 will be available to all care homes to provide access to digital devices, connectivity and support to help manage conditions from home or connect those receiving care with their loved ones
  • £50 million to support the additional costs of restricting staff movement across care settings
  • £50 million for the Social Care Staff Support Fund and winter sustainability funding, through to the end of March 2021
  • maintaining and promoting access to local NHS Board workforce wellbeing services, the health and social care wellbeing national hub PROMIS and the NHS 24 mental health support service to support care home staff, the third sector and unpaid carers
  • up to £5 million for additional oversight and administration costs associated with responding to the pandemic and outbreak management
  • publication of a website with information and advice for families on visiting.

Adult Social Care Winter Preparedness Plan 2020-21 and Evidence Paper

Concern over Edinburgh care home failings

An Edinburgh care home is failing to provide adequate care to residents despite THREE visits in September, according to the latest fortnightly report by the Care Inspectorate to the Scottish Parliament.

Guthrie House Care Home on Lasswade Road, which is operated by Four Seasons Healthcare Group, was first visited by inspectors on 1 September, when a letter of serious concern over failings was issued. This was followed up by a visit two days later with representatives from NHS Lothian.

Inspectors found ‘people did not have sufficient access to fluids and were not supported promptly when in pain or distress. We were concerned about the care of residents, cleanliness of the environment and equipment, compliance with infection prevention and control and staffing levels’.

When inspectors visited Guthrie House again on 23 September they found no improvement in the support offered to indivudals experiencing pain and distress. Medication procedures were weak and there was no improvement to the quality of documentation relating to the support provided.

Commenting on today’s report, Lothian MSP Miles Briggs said: “This is deeply concerning that Guthrie House still hasn’t made the necessary improvements to cleanliness of the home and residents who are in pain are still not being supported promptly.

“Full compliance with PPE guidance is crucial to ensuring that care home residents are safe and there can be no exceptions.

“Guthrie House has been repeatedly warned about cleanliness and following PPE guidance. Strict protocols must be put in place to turn the level of care at the home around.

“There are still a number of care homes in the Edinburgh and Lothian who are not following PPE and social distancing guidance fully and the message of full compliance must be reinforced.”

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