UHI Argyll showcases innovative training initiative

UHI Argyll showcases innovative training initiative at Parliamentary reception

On Tuesday 29 April 2025, staff and students from UHI Argyll attended the Colleges Scotland Parliamentary reception to present a technology-driven training initiative designed for rural Health and Social Care.

Students Christel, based on the Isle of Tiree; Margaret, who oversees housing and care services across Scotland; and Debbie and Julie, who both work in care settings in Helensburgh, attended the event at Holyrood, along with lecturer Margaret Eccles. Argyll and Bute MSP Jenni Minto was keen to meet the students and hear about the collaboration.

The project, Empowering Care Homes – A Training Partnership is a collaboration between Argyll & Bute HSCP, UHI Argyll, and Scottish Care, aimed at addressing training challenges in rural and island-based care homes. With post-COVID-19 recovery funding, it employs a Train the Trainer model to reduce dependence on external providers and enable care homes to deliver in-house training. Given Argyll’s vast and fragmented geography, this flexible approach ensures staff across remote locations receive high-quality, consistent training.

Participants enrol in UHI Argyll’s CPD course, Plan and Deliver Training Sessions in a Care Setting, which is delivered through live online classrooms, interactive learning tools, remote assessments, and individual tutorials. The programme focuses on critical areas such as dementia and end-of-life care, equipping care staff to train their colleagues effectively.

For rural employers, this initiative offers significant advantages by reducing costs, logistical barriers, and reliance on external trainers. It ensures that training fits within 24/7 staffing models, enhances workforce skills, improves care standards, and supports staff retention by offering accessible professional development. By fostering internal expertise, the programme helps care homes maintain training standards aligned with their unique operational needs. The structured approach integrates training into the daily work environment, making it more relevant and immediately applicable.

Dunoon student Grace said:

“The course can bring numerous benefits not only to my own career, but to my staff and residents too. It enhances staff training, compliance and regulations, improves staff retention, and most importantly leads to better resident care. It has significantly enhanced my leadership skills, boosting my confidence in communication, coaching, and mentoring.”

The partnership between Scottish Care, Argyll & Bute HSCP, and UHI Argyll, highlights the power of collaboration and innovation in overcoming challenges. By embracing technology and innovative approaches, the pilot programme serves as a model for sustainable, high-quality professional development across the region, and other rural areas across Scotland.

Jenni Minto MSP with UHI Argyll students Christel, Debbie, Julie and Margaret, and lecturer Margaret Eccles at the Colleges Scotland Parliamentary Reception

The Future of Bereavement Support in Scotland – 28 August

The Future of Bereavement Support in Scotland

Thursday 28 August 2025
Renfield Centre, Glasgow
9:30am – 3:30pm
Free (booking required)

Join us for a powerful and thought-provoking one-day event exploring how Scotland can build a more compassionate and coordinated future for those experiencing bereavement.

Hosted by the Scottish Bereavement Charter Group, this event will bring together national voices, frontline practitioners, and people with lived experience to reflect, connect, and collaborate.

Expect:

  • Inspiring talks and panel discussions
  • Practical workshops on current and future bereavement support
  • Creative and interactive sessions
  • Opportunities to network and share best practice

Click here to view the full event programme

⚠️ This is a free event, but if you’re no longer able to attend, please cancel by 21 August 2025. A £25 non-attendance fee will apply after this date to cover venue and catering costs.

Spaces are limited, book your place now: https://scottishcare.org/event/the-future-of-bereavement-support-event/

#BecauseGriefMatters

Immigration Webinar – 26 June 2025

Date: Thursday 26 June 2025
Time: 2:00 pm
Online: Microsoft Teams

Scottish Care is hosting a special webinar focused on recent immigration changes and their impact on the social care sector, offering members a chance to gain deeper insights into this complex and evolving topic.

This session will feature input from:

  • Alan Povey, Senior Specialist Lead (International Recruitment), NHS Education for Scotland
  • Mark Templeton, Director and Head of Immigration at Anderson Strathern

Alan will provide a short update on the immigration changes, followed by legal insights from Mark Templeton. The session will then open up for a general Q&A and discussion.

Please note: While we will welcome general questions, this session cannot provide legal advice on individual immigration cases.

This is a valuable opportunity to stay informed on one of the most pressing workforce issues facing social care providers.

Call-In Homecare Vintage Tea Party

Royal Voluntary Service partners with Call-In Homecare for a delightful Vintage Tea Party

On 23 April, Call-In Homecare hosted a heartwarming Vintage Tea Party in celebration of community, connection, and care to raise vital funds for their charity partner, the Royal Voluntary Service.

In Edinburgh, the atmosphere was filled with nostalgia as the Call-In Homecare Head Office transformed into a vintage-inspired haven, with warm and inviting decorations that transported everyone back in time. Staff and service users dressed for the occasion, sharing tea, laughter, and home-baked treats, lovingly prepared by the Call-In Homecare team.

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A raffle fundraiser added to the excitement, with the team raising £120 to support the invaluable work of Royal Voluntary Service.

For those in Glasgow, Inverclyde, and the West of Scotland, the team took the celebration to individual service users’ homes. Care Assistants delivered thoughtful afternoon tea boxes filled with sandwiches, scones, and cakes, sharing precious time with those they support.

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The tea party was more than a themed event,  it was a celebration of community, dignity, and meaningful connection, providing a platform for service users and Care Assistants to come together, share stories and create lasting memories.

For one service user, Fiona, it was her first time out of bed since Christmas time. She made the effort to be hoisted into a chair to enjoy her tea party fully, a small but powerful victory that brought smiles all round.

To build on the momentum, Call-In Homecare launched an online raffle for a luxury afternoon tea for two, offering more people a chance to support the cause and spread a little joy.

The success of this event highlights the importance of slowing down, connecting, and creating shared experiences, even in the busy world of care at home. Call-In Homecare now hopes to host similar events in the future, continuing to make space for joy and reflection within their services.

Scottish Care congratulates the team at Call-In Homecare for this inspiring initiative and their ongoing commitment to person-centred, relationship-based care. Events like these remind us all of the profound impact that everyday kindness can have.

For more on this story, visit: call-inhomecare.co.uk – Royal Voluntary Service Party

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Care at Home & Housing Support Awards 2025 – Winners

Scottish Care’s National Care at Home & Housing Support Awards 2025 took place on the evening of Friday 16 May 2025 at the Radisson Blu Hotel in Glasgow, hosted by Michelle McManus and Scottish Care CEO, Dr Donald Macaskill. It was a truly memorable and emotional evening, celebrating the incredible dedication of Scotland’s care at home and housing support workforce.

A massive congratulations to all of our inspiring finalists and winners, and sincere thanks to all our Awards Sponsors for helping make the event possible. Special thanks to Radisson Blu for kindly donating the hotel prize stay and to Anna Houston for kindly donating the Tropics Skincare Bundle for our Prize Draw.  Thanks also to Bluebird Care Edinburgh & Ayrshire for sponsoring the Arrival Drinks and to Ayrshire Care Solutions for sponsoring the Table Wine.

Explore the stories of our finalists and winners in the Awards Programme.

#CelebrateCare #CareAwards25

Immigration Survey Findings – May 2025

Scottish Care publishes Immigration Survey Findings

A recent survey by Scottish Care has revealed the critical reliance of Scotland’s social care sector on international workers and paints a stark picture of the potential consequences if their recruitment were to cease.

Conducted between May 15th and 19th, 2025, the survey gathered insights from 225 social care organisations across Scotland, representing services including care homes, care at home, and housing support. These organisations collectively provide support to over 46,000 individuals and employ more than 43,000 staff.

The findings demonstrate the significant role international workers play:

  • Participating organisations employ at least 11,294 international staff.
  • International staff making up an average of 32% of responding organisations’  workforce.
  • 7% of organisations report that international workers represent over 90% of their staff, and a further 14% rely on them for over 75% of their workforce.
  • A significant proportion – nearly 7,000 international workers in these organisations – are currently working on a visa.

When asked about the anticipated impact of ending international recruitment, the responses were overwhelmingly negative. Providers repeatedly highlighted the severe challenge of recruiting local staff, with many stating they struggle to find Scottish or British nationals willing to work in care. This makes international recruitment essential for filling vacancies.

The predicted consequences are wide-ranging and severe:

  • Staffing Crisis: Without international workers, providers expect significant shortages, making it difficult, if not impossible, to maintain safe staffing levels.
  • Financial Strain: A heavy reliance on expensive agency staff to cover shifts is predicted, threatening the financial viability of services and potentially leading to closures. Some providers warned their service could close “within a matter of months”.
  • Impact on Care Quality: Concerns were raised that staffing pressures would compromise the quality and continuity of care provided to vulnerable individuals. International workers were praised for their reliability, work ethic, and respectful approach.
  • Rural Challenges: Services in remote areas are expected to face particular difficulties in finding alternative staff.
  • Systemic Crisis: The domestic workforce is widely seen as insufficient to meet current demand, meaning restricting international recruitment would push the entire sector deeper into crisis.

Overall, the survey findings present a clear message: the Scottish social care sector is significantly dependent on international workers. Ending their recruitment would not only create immediate staffing and financial challenges but could also fundamentally threaten the ability to provide essential care services across Scotland.

A full survey results briefing is available here.

Care Tech Assembly Awards 2025 (Deadline Extended!)

We’re thrilled to launch the first-ever Care Tech Assembly Awards 2025, celebrating the pioneers using technology to transform social care across Scotland.

DEADLINE EXTENDED: You now have until 5pm on Monday 26 May 2025 to submit your nomination!

These awards will spotlight innovation, inclusivity, sustainability, and real, measurable impact, whether through creative solutions, ethical practices, or increased digital inclusion.

Award Categories:

  • Inclusive Tech Champion Award – For individuals or teams improving access to tech for marginalised groups.
  • Care Tech Innovation Award – For innovative technology or practice enhancing care and wellbeing.
  • Ethical and Green Tech Award – For responsible, sustainable use of tech benefiting citizens and communities.
  • Care Tech Integration Award – For organisations embedding care tech into everyday practice with measurable success.

Winners will be announced during the Care Tech Assembly on Thursday 19 June 2025, at The Studio, Glasgow, a key gathering of tech innovators, care professionals, and policy leaders.

📢 The awards are open to both members and non-members of Scottish Care.

Find out more and enter the awards here

Launch of Social Care Principles

We are proud to launch the principles that will guide the development of our manifesto for the 2026 Scottish Parliament elections. These principles reflect our commitment to a social care system rooted in dignity, fairness, and sustainability. Over the coming months, we will work closely with our care home and care at home members to shape specific manifesto requests that respond directly to the realities faced by those who provide and rely on care. These requests will highlight the urgent need for political parties to recognise the true cost of delivering high-quality, person-centred care. From fair pay for staff to sustainable funding for providers, our aim is to influence party commitments that reflect the value of care to individuals and to society. Together, we will ensure the voice of social care is heard clearly in the political debate and contributes meaningfully to Scotland’s future.

Care in Crisis: New Report and Conference Urge Rethink on Homecare Support 

The annual Scottish Care at Home and Housing Support Conference & Exhibition is scheduled to take place on Friday 16 May 2025 at Radisson Blu in Glasgow. Organised and hosted by Scottish Care, the leading representative body for the independent social care sector, supporting providers, their workforce and individuals accessing care and support. This conference is the only national event to focus specifically on homecare in Scotland.

This year’s theme, ‘Compassion in Crisis’, will bring together over 200 key stakeholders from across the sector, including independent care providers, frontline staff, academics, local authorities, NHS, and Scottish Government representatives. The event aims to tackle the most pressing challenges facing care at home and housing support services and to spark critical conversations that shape the future of social care in Scotland.

The agenda features a Fireside Chat with representatives from some of Scotland’s major political parties, and a diverse range of speaker sessions and workshops on topics such as:
  • Dementia-inclusive resources
  • The ‘home to assess’ model
  • Technology and AI in care
  • Medication safety and collaboration
  • Workforce skills and qualifications

The conference will offer vital sector insight into the impact of increased Employee National Insurance Contributions and the UK Government’s proposal to scrap the social care visa route, alongside other key issues.

As part of the event, Scottish Care will launch an updated version of its Myth-Busting Report, which aims to dispel common misconceptions about the independent care sector. The report provides evidence-based insights into current sector pressures and highlights the reality facing providers and staff delivering vital services in communities across the country.

Key findings from the report include:  

  • The independent sector delivers the majority of adult social care in Scotland, providing 87% of care homes, 86.9% of homecare services, 81.6% of all adult care services, and employing 76.7% of the sector workforce.
  • The economic contribution of the adult social care sector is substantial, generating £5.2 billion in Gross Value Added (GVA) – equivalent to 2.9% of Scotland’s total GVA in 2023.
  • The independent care home sector now provides 90% of all registered places in Scotland, yet has seen a 34% decrease in residents since 2014, amid ongoing financial pressures and reduced public funding.
  • No Scottish council met the minimum fair price of £26.50/hour for home care in 2023, despite the actual cost now standing at £32.88/hour, exacerbating financial unsustainability.
  • 100% of surveyed providers in 2024 reported late payments over 30 days, with average amounts owed exceeding £300,000 per provider, threatening viability and continuity of care delivery.

In response to these findings, Scottish Care calls for urgent action to address the sustainability of the independent sector, including investment to alleviate funding shortfalls, an updated cost model for care home contracts, and a transparent minimum rate for homecare packages.

Karen Hedge, Deputy CEO of Scottish Care says:   

“This year’s theme, ‘Compassion in Crisis’ reflects the daily reality for many delivering and receiving care in Scotland. Despite relentless pressures, the sector continues to show extraordinary empathy, commitment, and professionalism. But compassion alone cannot sustain a system on the brink.  

Our updated Myth-Busting Report lays bare the challenges and misconceptions that hinder progress. It’s time to move beyond rhetoric and act decisively to protect and support the workforce and services that people depend on every day.”  

The day will conclude with a Care Awards Ceremony, hosted by Pop Idol winner Michelle McManus, recognising excellence in the independent homecare workforce. The conference, exhibition, and awards collectively form the largest national event of its kind dedicated to care at home and housing support in Scotland.

Read the Myth-Busting 2025 Report here

Media Release: Scottish Care Condemns Plans to Scrap Social Care Visas

‘Reckless and Inhumane’: Scottish Care Condemns Plans to Scrap Social Care Visas

Scottish Care has expressed deep concern over reports that the UK Government is considering ending overseas recruitment for social care workers entirely. Such a move would be profoundly damaging to Scotland’s social care sector and fails to recognise the country’s distinct demographic and workforce challenges.

Scotland faces a unique context, with an ageing population, a shrinking working-age population, and one of the lowest birth rates in the UK. Our social care sector is already under immense strain, and international recruitment is no longer a luxury but a necessity.

Over 66% of Scottish Care members surveyed are actively recruiting from overseas. In several parts of Scotland, particularly rural and island communities, internationally recruited care workers make up more than 25%, and in some cases nearly 100%, of the workforce. This reliance reflects not policy failure, but the demographic reality of a nation that urgently needs to attract working-age people to deliver essential care and support services.

There is a dangerous assumption that the skilled work of care can be undertaken by anyone – this is not true. Care work requires people who want to care and, who have the compassionate skills and right altitudes to do so.

The biggest impact of these immigration changes will be felt by people who depend on care and support every day. In effect, these proposed changes are a direct assault on thousands of our citizens who rely on care and support to live their lives.

The current UK immigration policies, including the ban on dependents, the increased salary thresholds, and the sharp rise in sponsorship costs, are already undermining the ability of providers to recruit and retain care staff. The proposed removal of the visa route entirely would only exacerbate this crisis, putting vital services at risk and directly harming those who rely on them.

What is needed is an immigration approach that is non-party political, evidence-based, and tailored to Scotland’s demographic needs. The political weaponisation of migration must end. Social care workers are not statistics or burdens, they are skilled professionals who deserve dignity, the right to family life, and the respect of the country they serve.

Dr Donald Macaskill, CEO of Scottish Care, said: 

“The UK Government’s direction of travel on immigration continues to reflect a hostile and dehumanising culture that fundamentally contradicts the values of compassion and care that underpin our sector in Scotland. 

The potential ending of the social care visa route would not only be irresponsible, but it would also be reckless. It would put lives, services, and whole communities at risk. 

Scotland needs a workforce immigration policy that is fair, humane, and rooted in the needs of our population, not driven by political headlines or populist sentiment. Anything less fails the people of Scotland.” 

Scottish Care urges the UK Government to urgently reconsider these proposals and engage with Scotland’s social care sector to create a sustainable, rights-based immigration system that truly supports those who care for others.

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