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.

Scottish Care CEO, Dr Donald Macaskill, responds to the Prime Minister’s speech on the Government’s plan for energy bills. He said:

“The announcement of a 6-month freeze in energy costs for businesses by the Prime Minister is to be welcomed. The devil in all such statements is in the detail. We note that there will be a requirement to review this support after a 3-month period and that there is a probability that this will target vulnerable businesses. The very nature of the care home and homecare sector is that it is one of the most vulnerable sectors and we will continue to argue strongly to the UK and Scottish Government ministers that emergency priority must be given to the care sector to ensure that those who use social care services, who are amongst our most critical citizens, will be adequately supported over the next years of energy uncertainty.”

News Release: Social care energy crisis

Intervention is required to prevent the collapse of social care from rising energy costs.

The Five Nations Care Forum, which comprises of care associations from Scotland, England, Wales, Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, is calling for urgent intervention in the energy crisis in social care.

Rightfully, there have been many stories in the media about the sharp increase in energy costs for domestic consumers. However, the increases in energy costs will lead many vulnerable older people who desperately need a Winter of warmth to place themselves in situations of risk to health and wellbeing. The increases have already placed tens of thousands of citizens into real fuel poverty.

Little attention has been given to the effect of energy price increases on care homes and homecare organisations. The astronomical increases in energy bills have led to many care homes closing. Rising fuel costs have also meant that homecare organisations are closing their doors to new business, and handing back care packages.

Some of our most vulnerable people in care and supported housing are excluded from the various measures in place to support people living in their own homes with their increasing energy costs, such as the £400 energy rebate. There needs to be parity for the individuals living in care and support.

Social care and support providers are facing eye-watering increases in excess of 400% in their energy costs, both gas and electricity costs, which is simply unsustainable. The current energy crisis comes at a time when the sector is experiencing the worst workforce pressures the sector has ever known. Care and support providers are in a position where they must be able to offer better pay and rewards to retain and recruit staff, which is a direct impact of the pandemic.

Without assistance and funding, the rising costs will lead to many more care providers shutting down and ceasing the delivery of care. Staff will lose their jobs and local communities will lose vital care services. For care homes, the loss of home, familiarity and shared company will be devastating for affected residents. And trauma caused by care home closures can have a life-shortening effect. Some of the UK’s and Ireland’s most vulnerable citizens will effectively lose their homes and will have to move to the local hospital or another care facility.

Social care enables people to return home from the hospital and receive adequate care and support, stopping unnecessary admission. A rise in care home and homecare closures will result in real pressure on the NHS. With hospitals already overburdened, they will be unable to cope with delayed discharges, hence having a negative and dramatic impact on those who need NHS treatment and care. If social care collapses because of the energy crisis, then the NHS will follow soon after.

The current energy crisis presents a very real threat to the sustainability of social care delivery. Social care services provide a vital public service to the most vulnerable in our communities but have been largely ignored through the packages of support offered to the nation in dealing with the cost-of-living crisis. There is also a need to treat this care energy crisis with the same degree of emergency financial intervention as was received during the Covid-19 pandemic. Therefore, the Five Nations Care Forum calls on the Governments of the UK and Ireland to attend to this issue as a matter of urgency by:

1. Issuing emergency funding to the social care sector to deal with the rising energy bills
2. Introducing an energy price cap for care settings in line with the domestic energy price cap.
3. Extending that allvulnerable people have access to energy rebates , including those who have made their home in residential homes or supported living.
4. Ensuring any tax based reform applies to energy bills in a way that incorporates all care settings.

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This statement has been issued by Scottish Care on behalf of the Five Nations Care Forum, of which Scottish Care is a member.

About the Five Nations Care Forum

The 5 Nations Care Forum is an alliance of professional associations representing the care sector across the UK and Ireland. Through a collective commitment to information sharing, joint lobbying, shared learning and support, the 5 Nations Care Forum aims to add value to members’ activity by promoting the interests of service recipients, staff and service providers. The Forum seeks to encourage the development of a joined-up approach to matters which have a UK-wide or European dimension.

For more information including membership: http://www.fivenationscareforum.com/

 About Scottish Care

Scottish Care is a membership organisation and the representative body for independent social care services in Scotland.  We represent over 400 organisations, which totals almost 1000 individual services, delivering residential care, nursing care, day care, care at home and housing support services. Our membership covers both private and voluntary sector provider organisations.

For more information on Scottish Care’s work: www.scottishcare.org

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