Tag: social care

More than half of home care was reduced or stopped completely as a result of pandemic, survey reveals

The impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on home care has been revealed following an online survey by the Scottish Parliament’s Health and Sport Committee.

Published yesterday, the survey found that 54% of recipients of home care saw their care either reduced or stopped completely. In one instance, a respondent reported having their care stopped for more than six months.  Reduction in care was a recurring theme from respondents with families feeling that they were “left to get on with it”.

The survey, which ran during August and September, sought to hear the experiences of both carers and care recipients during the pandemic. Key concerns raised include: 

  • In the event of a second wave, the most important issue for those surveyed was safety. They told us it was vital to have access to appropriate PPE as well as frequent testing, and that carers should receive adequate training in both infection control and social distancing.
  • Additional pressures and a loss of routine led to increased anxiety for unpaid carers, who stressed the need for respite. Respondents felt “mentally exhausted” and “frightened to let staff back into their homes”. 
  • It was agreed that there needs to be greater recognition of unpaid carers who were often “left to pick up the slack”. There were calls for more support and financial help as well as a ‘professionalisation’ of the system, with a move towards a professional career model.
  • A fear of services shutting down again left respondents feeling determined to “not be forgotten about” or “left to manage entirely on [their] own”.  They called for the continuity of care services and care packages to remain in place in the event of future outbreaks.

Speaking as the findings of the survey were published, Committee Convener Lewis Macdonald MSP said: “The first wave of Covid-19 had a devastating impact on the social care sector in Scotland.

“Now that we’re in the midst of a second wave, and continuing national restrictions, it is vital that we hear the voices of home care workers and those receiving care at home across the country. These findings are deeply concerning suggesting over 50% of those receiving care at home saw their care reduced or stopped completely during the pandemic.

“Other concerns raised around mental health, safety, and the prospect of care shutting down again, make it clear that things must improve. 

“The Committee recognises the hard work of carers, paid and unpaid, who have gone above and beyond during this unprecedented challenge and we also want to thank all those who took part in the survey for sharing their experiences in what are still very difficult times.”

Letters: Caring for our older people

Dear Editor

The NHS, in all it’s forms, has been invaluable for people. This is understood: we would all be in deep trouble without it.

It is hard to believe organisations see the provision of health services as a means to make huge profits. One of the biggest dangers for the NHS is countries like the USA.

The importance of the people to own and control the NHS has been a tremendous lesson for all. It is now unthinkable to most that it should be otherwise.

This example of how to benefit society must now be extended to what is called the ‘care sector’. It, too, should be a publicly-owned extension of the NHS, not owned by private cmpanies or a business dependent on grants from local councils.

Every elderly person is exactly that, and must be treated with respect, not as an afterthought on some idea of ‘can we afford the cost?’ We can and must afford it!

The now elderly people need care and attention, love and respect for all they have done for us.

A. Delahoy

Silverknowes Gardens

Almost £3 million more for social care projects

31 projects secure an additional year’s funding

Funding for 31 third sector projects in social care has been extended to March 2022 with the announcement of an additional £2.9 million of Scottish Government backing.

Edinburgh projects include MECOPP, Lothian Centre for Inclusive Living and Thistle Foundation Health and Wellbeing.

Scottish Government’s ‘Support in the Right Direction’ programme was initially funded until March 2021, with funding partner Inspiring Scotland. The programme helps organisations who provide information, advice and advocacy to people accessing and managing their social care across Scotland.

The 12-month extension will enable project staff to continue their vital work helping people and carers navigate their way through the social care system, make the most of the ‘self-directed support’ options available to them, and access the support and care they need in their community.

Cabinet Secretary for Health and Sport Jeane Freeman said: “I am very pleased to be able to extend funding for Inspiring Scotland to manage these projects for an additional 12 months.

“The programme has consistently demonstrated the benefits of ensuring supported people have practical information and advocacy to live their lives.

“Independent advice and advocacy, plus support to make connections in their community, relieves stress and anxiety and helps people and carers maximise their choices and control over their arrangements, which is key to Scotland’s social care system.

“I am grateful to Inspiring Scotland and the individual projects for continuing this vital work and providing additional support to our social care sector.”

Inspiring Scotland Chief Executive Celia Tennant added: “We’re very pleased that all 31 Support in the Right Direction projects will receive funding for a further 12 months.

“This announcement recognises the importance of independent support for people, as part of local health and social care delivery, and provides some stability for these essential charities.”

The Support in the Right Direction programme is managed on behalf of Scottish Government by Inspiring Scotland. 

Click here for Details of the funded projects 

Living Well North Edinburgh update

** Corona Virus Update from Living Well North Edinburgh **

Given the unprecedented situation we are all facing due to the Corona Virus, Living Well will be changing what we do over the coming weeks.

To ensure the health and safety of our visitors and staff we will be closing the building to the public from today – Wednesday 18th March until further notice. This means all group activities run by us will be postponed.

We know that our many members rely on the service we provide. To ensure that we continue to support our members, and play a part in the current network of community support we will running the following from Thursday 19th March:

Monday to Friday

We will be setting a timetable of support groups ran remotely through ZOOM with our support workers. The timetable will be posted to this page and instructions on how to access these services.
We will be reviewing and updating this plan regularly.

The message of being kind has never been more important at this time.
We encourage all our members to reach out and support each other during this time by checking in with neighbours, friends and other members using the various social media outlets.

For up to date advice please check

https://www.nhsinform.scot/…/infection…/coronavirus-covid-19

https://111.nhs.uk/covid-19

Who Cares? Tory concern over hard to fill job vacancies

The Care Inspectorate and Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC) published new figures on the levels of staff vacancies in Scotland’s social care services yesterday.

Edinburgh has the highest percentage, 57%, of services reporting that vacancies are hard to fill and almost half of posts unfilled 49%.

West Lothian, Midlothian and Edinburgh have all shown an increase in the number of vacancy rates with East Lothian dropping slightly to 32%. 

Latest figures show West Lothian had 78 vacancies, 35%, Midlothian had 47 vacancies, 40%, and Edinburgh had the highest number of vacancies in Scotland 334, 49%.

Lothian MSP, Miles Briggs, said: “This report highlights the ongoing challenges of recruitment in Social Care and is another example of SNP Ministers’ terrible record on workforce planning.

“The continued high rate of vacancies for social care makes if very difficult to see improvement to services.

“Issues such as delayed discharge in hospitals and shortages in adult care homes are not going to be fixed until recruitment of staff is resolved.

“Edinburgh and the Lothians have particularly high vacancies for Social Care staff and have higher than average services struggling to fill posts.”

The report comes as the Scottish Government launches a new campaign to promote careers in adult social care ‘There’s More To Care Than Caring’.

The staff vacancies report provides a national overview of vacancy levels and recruitment difficulties reported by care services registered with the Care Inspectorate. It also includes data on the actual number of vacancies services have, which is held by the SSSC.

In the past year, 38% of services reported having vacancies, which is unchanged from the previous year.

However, care homes for adults, care homes for older people, housing support services, care at home services, nurse agencies and residential special schools all had a proportion of services with vacancies significantly above the national average for all care services.

Daycare of children and adoption services were significantly below the national average for all care services reporting vacancies.

At 31 December 2018, the rate of WTE vacancies for all services in Scotland was 5.5%, down from 5.9% in 2017. This was higher than the overall vacancy rate across all establishments in Scotland of 3.1%.

Lorraine Gray, Chief Executive of the SSSC said: “A vital consideration when looking at vacancies in care services is making sure that social care attracts people with the right values, skills and experience to work in the sector.

“We’ve worked with Scottish Government on the adult social care recruitment campaign, launched today, which aims not only to encourage more people to consider a career in care but also emphasises the values you need.

“The social service workforce is growing, there are more than 200,000 people working in the sector, which is almost 8% of all employment in Scotland, so there are lots of opportunities and different types of roles.

“It’s a fulfilling and rewarding career which gives you the opportunity to work towards qualifications as part of a professional workforce making a positive difference to people’s lives.”

Peter Macleod, chief executive of the Care Inspectorate said: “We know that an effective and stable staff team is important for providing the world class care everyone wants to see.

“It allows trusting relationships to be developed between people providing and experiencing care, often supporting positive experiences and outcomes.

“The Care Inspectorate recognises that recruitment and retention into some parts of the social care sector remains a challenge, and we collect significant data about the places and parts of the sector where recruitment problems are more challenging.

“This report has been prepared to provide a national overview of the vacancy levels and recruitment difficulties reported by care services in their Care Inspectorate annual returns.

“We know, of course, that numbers do not tell the whole story. The skills, experiences, and values of social care staff are just as critical as the right number of staff being employed.

“However, going forward we expect to see more innovative solutions embraced by care providers and commissioners, as well as increased partnership working between social care services, local authorities and other key partners to ensure that the underlying issues around filling problem vacancies can be addressed.”

Every care service is asked to complete an annual return every year to provide statistical and other information. The vacancy questions are asked for every care service type apart from childminders, who are typically sole providers.

Staff vacancies in care services 2018

Social Care Alba working to tackle ‘steep decline’ in millennials applying for care roles

Recruitment figures indicate a steep decline of younger applicants

Edinburgh care and support provider Social Care Alba, has revealed that analysis of their internal recruitment figures suggests a steep decline in the number of millennial candidates – aged between 18-25 – applying for roles in domiciliary care. Continue reading Social Care Alba working to tackle ‘steep decline’ in millennials applying for care roles

Bus strike will have a ‘significant impact’ on those in need of social care and support, says Alba

Following the announcement by Unite the union that Lothian’s drivers and engineers have voted to strike from 3 a.m. on 2 August, Social Care Alba, one of Edinburgh’s leading care and support providers have confirmed the extent to which this will affect those requiring social care and support across the capital. Continue reading Bus strike will have a ‘significant impact’ on those in need of social care and support, says Alba

Health and social care: An improving picture but more needs to be done, says EIJB Chair

The length of time people are waiting for care assessments in the Capital has fallen by almost 50% under the Edinburgh Integration Joint Board (EIJB), (writes its Chair, Councillor Ricky Henderson). Continue reading Health and social care: An improving picture but more needs to be done, says EIJB Chair