Homecare Day 2022 – Blog from our Workforce Lead

Social Care staff need support and recognition from key policy stakeholders

This last couple of weeks for me have been a time of reconnecting and I have had the pleasure and privilege of visiting care providers and filming some of the social care workforce in their daily life.  These films are part of the Scottish Care social media campaign aimed at raising the profile of the sector and showing a wide audience all the critical and highly skilled work that happens every day in social care.

Being part of creating these films and seeing the excitement and happiness in the faces of both residents and care staff has been such a reminder of the amazing individuals who work in social care.  Seeing the enjoyment they all experience in their relationships with each other brought home to me the importance of the work of social care and its place in our society.

Scottish Care are hoping that these films will be shared widely across social media and possibly even shown on television so that we can open up the social care conversation as far and wide as possible.  This is so important given that as we speak work is forging ahead with the National Care Service and unfortunately there has still not been a full conversation on how these much-needed services will be properly funded in the future.  This is to ensure that we are able to provide a high level of integrated social care and health services that people need and deserve to receive.

What we must ensure is that while the National Care Service is being developed, we do not lose more of the vital social care workforce that we require.  The recent publication in August 2022 of the SSSC Workforce Data Report 2021 has evidenced that there are less social care workers registered in 2021 that in the previous year.  This is the first time in many years that there has been a decrease in the overall headcount of the workforce.  Further examination of this data shows that the majority of these workers are leaving from care home and care at home/housing support services.

When I spoke with a care worker last week, they told me “I love my job, I know it is hard work, but I just love it”.  Unfortunately, staff are having to leave the social care sector as they are unable to continue paying their own bills and commitments as a result of low pay and poor terms and conditions.  For care at home workers the cost of running a car for work is becoming unaffordable and in rural areas this is an even greater challenge.

Action must be taken now, today, to support these inspiring and dedicated staff members so that no further social care staff end up leaving a job they love because the barriers to remaining in social care are just too great.

Homecare Day 2022 – Cabinet Secretary Message

Huge thanks to the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care, Humza Yousaf for showing his support for Homecare Day 2022!

In this message, the Cabinet Secretary pays tribute to everyone working in care at home and housing support, and highlights the valuable role of homecare in society and the social care system. He also outlines the plans that the Scottish Government have got in place to support the homecare sector.

You can get involved in Homecare Day by sharing your good-news stories, resources, projects, blogs, and content about the sector on Twitter using the hashtags #homecareday22 and #homecarevoices.

Find out more about Homecare Day and how you can take part on: https://scottishcare.org/homecare-day-2022-1-day-to-go/

Scotland lights up in celebration of carers

To mark Homecare Day, notable buildings and landmarks across Scotland will be lit up in yellow to celebrate care at home workers and other social care staff on the evening of Thursday 22 September 2022.

Homecare Day is an online event organised by the representative body for independent social care providers in Scotland, Scottish Care. Taking place this year on Thursday 22 September, this event aims to raise awareness of the crucial role of care at home and housing support services in supporting older and vulnerable citizens across the UK.

To be able to stay in the place you call home and to remain around family, friends and community is a desire many of us have, maybe most especially when we are ill or requiring support and care. It is this independent living that thousands of homecare staff enable people to achieve every day across the UK.

Care at home staff has continued to support some of our most vulnerable people in their own homes, ensuring their health and safety whilst combatting various challenges. They provide support not only to individuals but their families too. Recent months have also seen unprecedented demand in home-based care organisations, despite this, the homecare workforce has rallied together and gone above and beyond their roles to deliver quality care.

Scottish Care, along with the Partners for Integration Team have been organising this ‘Light Up for Carers’ initiative. This campaign is supported by the Scottish Government, the Scottish Parliament and the Care Inspectorate. It is also supported by the SEC and Health and Social Care Partnerships/Councils for Aberdeen City, Argyll & Bute, Dundee, Edinburgh, Falkirk, Scottish Borders, South Lanarkshire, and West Lothian – with the light-up taking place in these areas. Together, they are calling for social care workers, providers, partners and individuals to join in the celebrations by visiting these buildings, taking pictures and sharing them on social media with the hashtags #shinealight and #homecareday22.

The buildings and landmarks taking part will include:

  • Caird Hall – Dundee
  • Castle House/Pier – Dunoon
  • Civic Centre – Livingston
  • Falkirk Wheel – Falkirk
  • Granton Gas Tower – Edinburgh
  • Hamilton Town House – Hamilton
  • Marischal College – Aberdeen
  • McCaig’s Tower – Oban
  • Ness Bridge – Inverness
  • OVO Hydro – Glasgow
  • Scottish Borders Council HQ – Newton St Boswells
  • St Andrew’s House – Edinburgh
  • The Kelpies – Falkirk
  • Victoria Quay – Edinburgh

These structures will be lit up in the colour yellow, to symbolise the flame of a candle. This is in line with another campaign started by Scottish Care during the Covid-19 pandemic, where candles are lit every Tuesday at 7:00 pm to give thanks to all those who provide care and support during this time and in memory of all those we have lost to Covid-19.

The social care sector shows us caring, resilience and compassion at its best, yet this workforce is often undervalued. Their dedication, professionalism and commitment in delivering high-quality care every day of the week, is something that deserves to be recognised and celebrated widely. This is why campaigns like Homecare Day and Light Up for Carers are extremely important, they offer an opportunity to give recognition to the sector and their workforce.

Homecare Day 2022 & Light Up for Carers – 1 day to go!

This is a reminder to members that Homecare Day 2022 takes place tomorrow (Thursday 22 September 22)!

This is a largely online event which looks to celebrate and recognise the homecare services across the UK.

The theme of Homecare Day is ‘Homecare Voices’ with the aim to:

  • Listen to the voices of care at home & house supporting staff, providers, managers, service users and relatives.
  • Showcase the expertise of the homecare workforce, and how they should be valued more.
  • Highlight how homecare plays a crucial role in the health and social care system and within their communities.

How can I get involved?

Share your content

You can help us commemorate the day by sharing any good news stories, resources, projects, blogs or an example of an innovative practice on social media that highlights:

  • The dedication and professionalism of care at home and housing support workers.
  • The achievements of service users, providers or workforce.
  • The innovation of homecare with different ideas or activities in place or planned for the future.
  • How  homecare is important to society and to the health and social care system.

Please use the hashtags below when sharing content, we will be on the lookout all day and will re-share from the Scottish Care account.

#homecareday22
#homecarevoices

If you aren’t on social media, please feel free to share any stories with us at [email protected].

We’ve developed a template on Canva for you to add your good news stories, once you have finished, please download as a PDF to share.

Use our social media template

We have also created a social media graphic template for you to help raise awareness for the care at home sector.

You will need a Canva account to use this template (you can sign up for a Canva account for free if you don’t have one already).

You will need to insert four elements into the graphic:

  • Photo
  • Name, title and organisation
  • Quote/Message (e.g. what’s good about homecare, why should people come into the sector)

Remember to use the hashtags when posting on social media and tag us on Twitter @scottishcare so that we can retweet!

Promote the event

We have developed some social media graphics that you can download to share and promote Homecare Day with others. Please use these graphics to share that you support the day and to get others involved!

Join the soft launch of the Care Technologist Pilot

Scottish Care are trialling a new Care Technologist role in care at home and care home settings in a 12 month, TEC funded Test of Change.

Following a successful 6-month trial with SRS Specialist Resource Solutions in Aberdeen, the Care Technologist project is extending to 2 further geographical areas – East Ayrshire and Glasgow, and the scope now includes Care Homes and Daycare services.

This Homecare Day 2022, we will be hosting a digital drop-in session for anyone interested to know more about the project and meet the Care Technologists, Katherine Long, Dan Plant and Cheryl Stevenson. This will take place online, 2pm – 3pm on Thursday 22 September.

If you would like to stay up to date with the progress of the project, you can sign up to receive updates via email or drop-in to one of our online sessions which take place monthly. You can opt-in to either of these by getting in touch below.

Katherine (Care Technologist Lead and care home delivery): [email protected]

Share the Social Care Campaign

As part of Homecare Day, Scottish Care and members of the Social Care Campaign group, have decided to do a soft-launch of the care at home aspect of the campaign toolkit.

Huge thanks to all the Scottish Care members and staff who are involved with the campaign work – your input has been invaluable and is greatly appreciated.

If you are interested in coming to the campaign group meetings, please contact [email protected]

Please note that whilst the campaign originated from Scottish Care and our members, this campaign is NOT a Scottish Care campaign. Instead this campaign is for the whole social care sector, with a specific focus for independent care services. So please do share the campaign materials with colleagues, other providers and partners.

As part of the campaign, there are many different materials that you can use, including toolkit and social media graphics and infographics. Please feel free to share these as part of Homecare Day.

Join us for Light Up for Carers

To mark Homecare Day, notable buildings and landmarks across Scotland will be lit up in yellow to celebrate care at home workers and other social care staff on the evening of Thursday 22 September 2022.

This campaign is supported by the Scottish Government, the Scottish Parliament and the Care Inspectorate. It is also supported by the SEC and Health and Social Care Partnerships/Councils for Aberdeen City, Argyll & Bute, Dundee, Edinburgh, Falkirk, Scottish Borders, South Lanarkshire, West Dunbartonshire, and West Lothian – with the light-up taking place in these areas.

The buildings and landmarks taking part will include:

  • Caird Hall – Dundee
  • Castle House/Pier – Dunoon
  • Civic Centre – Livingston
  • Falkirk Wheel – Falkirk
  • Granton Gas Tower – Edinburgh
  • Hamilton Town House – Hamilton
  • Marischal College –  Aberdeen
  • McCaig’s Tower –  Oban
  • Ness Bridge – Inverness
  • OVO Hydro – Glasgow
  • Scottish Borders Council HQ – Newton St Boswells
  • St Andrew’s House – Edinburgh
  • The Kelpies – Falkirk
  • Victoria Quay – Edinburgh
  • West Dunbartonshire Council Office, Church Street  – Dumbarton

Please join in the celebrations by visiting these buildings, taking pictures and sharing them on social media with the hashtags #shinealight and #homecareday22.

With all the scrutiny and negative press that the social care sector has faced over the past few years, events like Homecare Day are a reminder of how important it is to share positive stories from social care and the homecare sector. Help us get the ‘Homecare Voices’ heard by sharing, getting involved on social media and visiting the lit up buildings tomorrow!

#homecareday22      #homecarevoices

Partners for Integration Event – 13 October

The Partners for Integration Team will be holding an online event on  Thursday 13 October, 1:00 – 4:30 pm (previously scheduled for 15 September).

This event will look at future-proofing ethical and collaborative commissioning and procurement by sharing areas of best practice. This event is predominantly focused on homecare but is open to everyone interested in joining.

To find out more, please see the flyer below. If you are interested to join this event, please contact Tracy Doyle at [email protected].

PFI Flyer 1 - 13.10.22

Care Home Awards 2022 – Deadline Extension

We have extended the deadline for making a nomination to our annual Care Home Awards to 9:00am Tuesday 20th September.

If you haven’t already done so, please take a look at the guidelines and categories to help us celebrate and acknowledge the exceptional skills and commitment of those working in the care home sector across Scotland.

There are 13 award categories covering organisations, staff and residents. While we have had some fantastic nominations already for some of our awards, we are looking for more in the following categories:

  • Nutrition & Eating Well Award
  • Training, Learning & Staff Development Award
  • Emerging Talent Award
  • Outstanding Achievement Award
  • Palliative & End of Life Care Practise Award
  • Nurse of the Year Award
  • Care Worker of the Year Award
  • Specialist Service/ Unit of the Year Award
  • Care Home Service of the Year Award
  • Positive Impact Award

Please ensure you read the guidelines before completing your nomination, any submissions that do not follow the guidelines may not be accepted by the judges.

Judging of the awards will be in September and the Awards Ceremony will be held on Friday 18 November at the Hilton Hotel, Glasgow.

Find out more and nominate here

Care Technologist Phase 3 Pilot

Scottish Care are trialling a new Care Technologist role in care at home and care home settings in a 12 month, TEC funded Test of Change.

Following a successful 6-month trial with SRS Specialist Resource Solutions in Aberdeen, the Care Technologist project is extending to 2 further geographical areas – East Ayrshire and Glasgow, and the scope now includes Care Homes and Daycare services.

This Homecare Day 2022, we will be hosting a digital drop-in session for anyone interested to know more about the project and meet the Care Technologists, Katherine Long, Dan Plant and Cheryl Stevenson. This will take place online, 2pm – 3pm on Thursday 22nd September.

‘Join our first Digital Drop-in session here’

We are currently working with Baillieston Community Care, HRM Homecare, SRS Specialist Resource Solutions and care homes represented by Scottish Care to trial the role.

David Reilly, CEO of Baillieston Community Care said: 

“We are absolutely delighted to be taking part in the Care Technologist Project with Scottish Care, and having a Care Technologist working within our organisation. We see technology playing such an important role in the future of Social Care, supporting our workforce and ensuring the best possible outcomes for the people we support. We look forward to the year ahead and seeing the impact that this project will have on the people we support, their families and our staff.”

Lynn Laughland, Managing Director of HRM Homecare Services said:

“At HRM Homecare Services, we are enthusiastic about bringing the role of a Care Technologist into our business and being part of this project with Scottish Care. Digitalisation is important to the growth of the Care Sector, and the benefits of technology can help to support people who access care by ensuring their needs are nurtured through the implementation of appropriate technologies. We are excited and encouraged by the role of Care Technologist and believe this is the right step forward for the Scottish Social Care Sector.”

For more information about the role, our strategy and how we are helping people to live well, you can read more about the Care Technologist below.

https://scottishcare.org/the-care-technologist-project/

If you would like to stay up to date with the progress of the project, you can sign up to receive updates via email or drop-in to one of our online sessions which take place monthly. You can opt-in to either of these by getting in touch below.

Katherine (Care Technologist Lead and care home delivery): [email protected]

Winter Vaccination Programme for Social Care Staff

The winter vaccination programme for social care staff is now live.

Social care staff of all ages who have a direct hands-on care role are eligible to receive a COVID-19 and flu vaccine this year. Appointment booking is open for frontline staff.

Frontline social care workers in the following settings are eligible for both vaccines:

  • residential care for children who are clinically vulnerable
  • community care for persons at home (including housing support, care at home services and personal assistants)
  • care homes/residential care settings for adults/older adults.

All staff working in any function (including catering staff, office staff etc) in care homes for older adults are also eligible for both vaccines.

The vaccine programme is targeted at those delivering direct care in these settings, whether employed by local authorities, private or third sector employers.

Find out more on: https://news.sssc.uk.com/news/winter-vaccination-2022

You could book your vaccine on: https://www.nhsinform.scot/wintervaccines

 

Partners for Integration Event – CANCELLED

In light of the sad news of the death of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, as a mark of respect, we will not be going ahead with the Partners for Integration Event – Future-proofing ethical and collaborative commissioning and procurement by sharing areas of best practice. This online event was due to take place next week on Thursday 15 September.

Our thoughts and condolences are with the Royal Family and everyone who knew and loved her at this very difficult time. We will make an announcement to any future arrangements regarding this event once we are able to.

Partners for Integration Event – CANCELLED

In light of the sad news of the death of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, as a mark of respect, we will not be going ahead with the Partners for Integration Event – Future-proofing ethical and collaborative commissioning and procurement by sharing areas of best practice. This online event was due to take place next week on Thursday 15 September.

Our thoughts and condolences are with the Royal Family and everyone who knew and loved her at this very difficult time. We will make an announcement to any future arrangements regarding this event once we are able to.