SCOTTISH CARE REQUIRES A CARE TECHNOLOGIST LEAD

Are you excited about the potential of technology to help people live their lives to the fullest? Do you consider it important to use technology within a human rights and ethical framework? Are you passionate about empowering people who access care and support, and knowledgeable about the opportunities for technology? Are you a skilled communicator who can build confidence and skills in others? Then this may be a great role for you.

An exciting opportunity has arisen within Scottish Care for a Care Technologist Lead to join the national Scottish Care team. This full-time post is for a fixed period of 12 months. The post is remunerated at £33,447 per annum plus agreed expenses.

Scottish Care is funding this post as a result of funding from the Scottish Government Technology Enabled Care Programme.

Applicants should ideally be qualified to degree level or equivalent and have experience of working in the technology and digital sector. Current knowledge of the social care sector in Scotland, and an ability to engage and innovate the positive use of technology to enable the delivery of a rights-based approach to support and care are desirable.

The Care Technologist role was conceived through work undertaken on the future of social care carried out with Glasgow School of Art School of Innovation and Design. The next phase of this project will involve working with homecare and care home service providers, people who access services and support, strategic designers, technology industry, academia, and wider stakeholders across health and social care. Travel will be required to work in different service areas and geographical locations. The Care Technologist Lead will lead on the operational delivery of the project as the senior officer, with the Care Technologist role. This is an excellent opportunity to be part of the re-imagining of social care delivery and to really make a difference to people who access care and support services.

The contract offers a home-based option, and the post-holder will report to the Scottish Care Technology and Digital Innovation Lead, Nicola Cooper.

Intro to the role – information session

Our Technology and Digital Innovation Lead, Nicola Cooper, is hosting an information session on a intro to the Care Technologist/Lead role. This session will include a short presentation followed by Q&A. Please join if you are interested in finding out more about these roles.

This session will take place on Thursday 28 April 2022, 12:30 – 1:00 pm. Please register on Eventbrite for this session: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/intro-to-the-care-technologist-role-tickets-327429970857

Application forms

An Application Form and Equal Opportunities Monitoring Form is available below and completed forms should be returned to [email protected] by no later than 12 noon on Friday 29^th April 2022.

For further information on the post please contact [email protected]

Interviews will be held virtually.

SCOTTISH CARE REQUIRES A CARE TECHNOLOGIST

Do you have a passion for working with people and an enthusiasm for technology? Are you excited by the opportunity for technology to provide meaningful and personalised support? Do you consider it important to use technology within a human rights and ethical framework? Are you excited to learn about new technology and digital solutions, and confident that you could apply these in practice? Then this may be a great role for you.

An exciting opportunity has arisen within Scottish Care for a Care Technologist to join the Scottish Care team. There are two posts available – 1.0FT and 0.6FTE or the equivalent. The post holder will be hosted within a partner organisation and employed by Scottish Care.  The partner organisations will be located in Glasgow and Aberdeen with the possibility of other locations being included. Some travel will be required, and expenses will be paid.

This post is for a fixed period of 12 months and is remunerated at £26,500 per annum plus agreed expenses.

Scottish Care is funding this post as a result of funding from the Scottish Government Technology Enabled Care Programme.

Applicants should have qualifications and experience in health and social care and/or the technology and digital sector. Current knowledge of the social care sector in Scotland, and an ability to engage and innovate the positive use of technology to enable the delivery of a rights-based approach to support and care are desirable.

The Care Technologist role was conceived through work undertaken on the future of social care carried out with Glasgow School of Art School of Innovation and Design. The next phase of this project will involve working with homecare and care home service providers, people who access services and support, strategic designers, technology industry, academia, and wider stakeholders across health and social care. Some travel will be required to work in different service areas and geographical locations. The Care Technologist will work as part of a small team, with another Care Technologist role and the Care Technologist Lead. This is an excellent opportunity to be part of an innovative approach to delivering care and support services.

The post-holder will report to the Scottish Care Technology and Digital Innovation Lead, Nicola Cooper.

Intro to the role – information session

Our Technology and Digital Innovation Lead, Nicola Cooper, is hosting an information session on a intro to the Care Technologist/Lead role. This session will include a short presentation followed by Q&A. Please join if you are interested in finding out more about these roles.

This session will take place on Thursday 28 April 2022, 12:30 – 1:00 pm. Please register on Eventbrite for this session: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/intro-to-the-care-technologist-role-tickets-327429970857

Application forms

An Application Form and Equal Opportunities Monitoring Form is available below and completed forms should be returned to [email protected]  no later than 12 noon on Friday 29^th April 2022.

For further information on the post please contact [email protected]

Interviews will be held virtually.

Webinar: Bereavement in the Workplace |A Bereavement Charter for Children and Adults in Scotland

Tuesday 3rd May 2022, 13:30 to 15:05 (via Zoom)

The Group which developed the Charter is holding the third in a series of webinars exploring different elements of death and bereavement.

Full programme can be viewed below.

Register your place here.

This year’s Spring bulletin has now been published online and is available to view.

We will not be sending out physical copies of the Bulletin due to Covid-19, this edition is in a digital format instead.

Older people’s organisations across the UK call on the Prime Minister to take further action to support older people affected by war in Ukraine

Key organisations working with and for older people throughout the UK¹ have come together to call on the Prime Minister to take further action² to support older people in Ukraine, and those seeking refuge in other countries, and ensure that our response to the escalating humanitarian crisis takes account of the specific impacts and challenges older people will face.

In a joint letter setting out the action required, they have highlighted that many older people in Ukraine will be trapped and isolated in their homes, with limited support available from families, friends and neighbours, as they will be unable to make the treacherous journey towards safety due to limited mobility or ill-health.

The letter also outlines concerns that older people will be unable to access crucial supplies, including food and medicines, as well as basic utilities and clean water, which will put their health at even greater risk.

Alongside calling for action to ensure that humanitarian agencies are able to provide supplies and support to older people, the letter also calls for the UK Government to take further action to remove visa restrictions to ensure that more older people are able to find safety and sanctuary in the UK.

The letter has been co-signed by a number of key organisations working on behalf of older people throughout the UK and internationally, including the Older People’s Commissioners in Wales and Northern Ireland, and Age International.

Older People’s Commissioner for Wales, Heléna Herklots CBE, said:

“Many of us will have felt powerless as we’ve watched news reports highlighting the ways in which people’s lives have been torn apart by the Russian invasion, which is why it crucial that we take action where we can in order to support older people in Ukraine and those fleeing to safety.

“I am greatly concerned that many older people in Ukraine who are already trapped, isolated and vulnerable will soon be unable to access clean water, food, medicines and utilities, and that older people who need to escape to safety will be unable to do so. 

“That’s why I’ve brought together key organisations working on behalf of older people to call for more action from the UK Government to ensure that additional support is provided to older people in Ukraine and to make it easier for older refugees to escape and find safety and sanctuary in neighbouring countries or here in the UK.”

Commissioner for Older People in Northern Ireland, Eddie Lynch, said:

“It’s vital that the UK takes into account how the escalating crisis in Ukraine specifically impacts older people, many of whom are unable to make long and dangerous journeys to safety due to failing health or mobility issues, making them particularly vulnerable. 

“For those older people who cannot flee, access to essential supplies such as fuel to heat their home in falling temperatures will also become increasingly difficult.  It’s crucial that humanitarian agencies get access to these vulnerable older people to supply them with all the resources they need.

“I hope that by coming together with other older people’s organisations across the UK, our unified voice will be heard loud and clear by the UK government and that they will make urgent preparations to ensure that we are ready to welcome older refugees when they arrive on our shore.”

Chris Roles, Managing Director at Age International said:

“We know from our work in the conflict zones of eastern Ukraine since 2014, that older people are incredibly vulnerable in these terrible situations. Many older people and those with disabilities will be unable to flee the violence: they may be housebound or unable to walk without support. Some can’t make the long arduous journey out of the country because their health is bad, or because they are suffering from osteoporosis or heart disease, and so won’t be able to make the trip.

“We are working with our partners in Ukraine providing emergency food and water kits, medical, hygiene and dignity kits, and support in response to the trauma that so many will be experiencing. And for those older people and their families crossing into neighbouring countries, we want to provide all these things and shelter too.”

1. Full list of Signatories Below:

• Heléna Herklots CBE, Older People’s Commissioner for Wales
• Chris Roles, Managing Director, Age International
• Caroline Abrahams, Charity Director, Age UK
• Eddie Lynch, Commissioner for Older People in Northern Ireland
• Donald Macaskill, Chief Executive, Scottish Care
• Brian Sloan, Chief Executive, Age Scotland
• Linda Robinson, Chief Executive, Age NI
• Victoria Lloyd, Chief Executive, Age Cymru
• John Palmer, Director of Policy and Communications, Independent Age
• Carole Easton, Chief Executive, Centre for Ageing Better
• Chris Lynch, Deputy CEO, Alzheimer’s Disease International
• David Sinclair, Director, ILC-UK
• Sir Myles Wickstead
• Andrew Purkis OBE, former Chair of Action Aid
• Marissa Conway, Co-Founder & Executive Director, Centre for Feminist Foreign Policy

2. Signatories of the letter are calling for the following action from the UK Government to support older people in Ukraine and those seeking refuge in other countries:

• Use all possible avenues to ensure that humanitarian access is given to all civilians in Ukraine, including older people.
• Ensure that explicit attention is given to the needs and rights of older people in Ukraine and surrounding countries in preparing and implementing the humanitarian response with other national governments and international organisations.
• Ensure older people in Ukraine or those seeking refuge in neighbouring countries have access to appropriate medical supplies, medication and mobility aids through donations, funding or the sharing of technical expertise.
• Remove the visa requirements on Ukrainians fleeing the war to ensure that older people without relatives in the UK are able to seek refuge here.
• Consider the needs and rights of older Ukrainians who are seeking refuge in the United Kingdom and what support they may need upon arrival.
• Continue to provide support to charities involved in the humanitarian response including HelpAge International and Age International to ensure that they and their partners can provide the crucial support that older people in Ukraine desperately need.