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Donald Macaskill: Cast a Vote for Care on May 4

 

With just a few days before the Scottish Local Government Elections, voters are being urged to consider social care when casting their vote.

Scottish Care’s recently published Agenda for Care sets out the priority areas for care in Scotland, at a hugely important time for the sector. The manifesto document calls for the following to be placed at the heart of the care system:

  • fairer allocation of resources for the care of older people
  • protection of the social care budget from austerity cuts
  • a valuing of the social care sector and its importance in the same way that the NHS is valued
  • a concerted effort to encourage people to work in the care sector
  • meaningful involvement of services, individuals, families and communities in the planning of local care provision
  • removing the inequality between what Local Authorities pay for the services they deliver directly and those they outsource
  • more balanced media coverage of the care sector
  • support for innovation and the development of new models of care
  • better informed political comment and debate

Scottish Care Chief Executive Dr Donald Macaskill said:

“In Scotland we are faced with a 28% vacancy level in nursing in our care homes. There is a real crisis in the number of staff available and willing to work in the care sector and this is in part because local authorities do not provide sufficient funding.

“I’m calling for everyone to consider care before casting their vote on Thursday and to take five minutes to reflect on what the various candidates stand for when it comes to care.

“We want a dignified and respectful system for both care recipients and care providers and sadly, it is currently falling short of the mark. But by electing candidates who prioritise social care on May 4, this can change.”

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Care at Home & Housing Support Conference, Exhibition and Awards – 2 weeks to go

Scottish Care’s annual Care at Home and Housing Support Conference & Exhibition will take place in the Glasgow Marriott, Argyle Street, Glasgow on Friday 12th May 2017.

This year’s conference is entitled “Bringing Home Care: Transforming Support in the Community”

#bringhomecare

Click here to view the draft conference programme.

You will notice from the conference programme that there will be insight sessions before and after lunch to enable delegates to attend two different sessions.  When booking, you will be asked to choose the two sessions you wish to attend on the day.

With the care at home reform process ongoing and an ever changing landscape of health and social care, the conference is a crucial opportunity for providers, partners and stakeholders to hear about how the reform work is progressing and what effect it will have on the sector.

Scottish Care will also be launching a new report on the care at home and housing support sector at this conference.

You can book your place to attend at: 
https://cahandhssconference2017.eventbrite.co.uk

You can only pay by card for online bookings.  Alternatively you can contact: [email protected] for a booking form.  Please note that no tickets will be issued until payment is received.

We look forward to seeing you on the day.

If you are interested in booking an exhibition stand at the conference, please contact [email protected]

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‘Come On In’ – new resource published for families

The Care Inspectorate has launched a guide to help family and friends of people living in care homes make the most of the time spent together. This resource was developed by the staff, residents and their families of Campbell Snowden care home in Bridge of Weir with support from the Care Inspectorate and Scottish Care.

The guide is short and easy to use with practical tips, from preparing for your visit and giving your visit focus to looking after yourself and very importantly what residents themselves say makes a good visit.

Please see the full news release from the Care Inspectorate below:

 

Care Inspectorate Newsroom

27 April 2017, 10:00

Come on in!

 

Visiting and keeping in touch with loved ones who have moved into a care home is a vital part of family life.

And now a new resource has been launched to help families overcome some of the barriers that can crop up when a loved-one living with dementia moves into care.

A care home in Renfrewshire has teamed up with Scottish Care and the Care Inspectorate to produce a handy guide to help making a visit to a care home an enjoyable and engaging experience for everyone.

Heather Edwards the Care Inspectorate’s dementia consultant said: “We know that maintaining close relationships with loved ones is really important for the wellbeing of people living in care, particularly those living with dementia.

“But we also know from our experience, and the experience of the care providers we work with, that it can sometimes be difficult for people to adjust to visiting their loved ones in a new setting, particularly if that person’s behaviour or needs are changing.

“This guide contains some practical, simple advice about how to prepare for and enjoy visiting loved ones.

“For example sometimes people living with dementia don’t talk a great deal. It can be important not to worry about this , and understand that it’s ok to sit quietly together.

“Similarly, instead of asking questions like ‘what did you have for lunch’ which can cause distress if someone can’t remember, you could ask staff what was for lunch, or take a look at the menu, so you can then have a chat about lunch.”

The booklet, called Come On In! came together after Jackie Weston, manager of Campbell Snowdon care home in Bridge of Weir discussed the issue with some the families who visit the home.

The project has been in development for 12 months, and was led by residents and their families. Campbell Snowdon care home received funding from the Life Changes Trust for 150,000 copies to be printed. These will be distributed across Scotland by the Care Inspectorate and Scottish Care.

Jackie Weston, said: “We are absolutely delighted that we are now in the position to share this resource with others.

“We started sharing our experiences of what makes a good visit at one of our Abbeyfield ‘Family Forums’. We knew this kernel of an idea had massive potential, and here we are today!

“‘Come On In’has been a labour of love for us all and we are so proud that it will help others support their friends and family with dementia. We would like to thank everybody involved for making it happen.”

Anna Buchanan, Director of the Life Changes Trust’s dementia programme, said: “We are pleased to support this valuable resource.

“Too often people with dementia living in a care home do not receive visitors because family and friends feel awkward, or don’t know what to expect.

“This booklet breaks down some of those barriers and shows that it is important to have people coming and going in a care home. We believe this small booklet will have huge impact across Scotland.”

Contact information

Media Team
01382 207171
[email protected]

Notes to editors

Notes to editors:

The Care Inspectorate is Scotland’s social care scrutiny and improvement body. It registers and inspects all of Scotland’s 14,000 care services including care homes for older people, nurseries and childminders. Find out more at www.careinspectorate.com

The Abbeyfield Society, established in 1956, is a charity providing residential care and support to older people. The organisation has 601 homes and houses in the UK and overseas, in which staff and 4,000 volunteers support 8,000 older people living in a family-like atmosphere.

The Life Changes Trust was established by the Big Lottery in April 2013 with a ten year endowment of £50 million to support transformational improvements in the quality of life, wellbeing, empowerment and inclusion of people affected by dementia and young people with experience of being in care. www.lifechangestrust.org.uk

 

 

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Scottish Parliament debates Social Care

Social Care has been the focus of a debate at the Scottish Parliament.

Ahead of the debate, Scottish Care Chief Executive Dr Donald Macaskill participated in a phone-in on BBC Radio Scotland, where he took the opportunity to highlight the significant issues affecting social care in Scotland. With local and general elections approaching, Dr Macaskill reiterated his plea for voters to consider these issues when they head to the polling station in the coming weeks.

To listen to the piece on Radio Scotland’s Call Kaye programme please click here

For more details on the debate at Holyrood please click here 

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Read Scottish Care’s response to integration inquiry

The Scottish Parliament’s Health & Sport Committee recently issued a call for evidence in relation to integration authorities’ engagement with stakeholders, to which Scottish Care responded.

Full details of the inquiry can be found here.

To read Scottish Care’s response, click here.

The Committee held an evidence session on this topic this morning which Scottish Care contributed to.  More information can be found here.

Dr Donald Macaskill said:

‘The importance of having the independent sector which employs over 103,000 people at the table and influencing the shape of services has never been clearer. Real partnership involves presence. We are willing to contribute to reshaping care for older people – but we need to be there to share.”

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Statement on Age Scotland report

Following the publication of Age Scotland’s latest report, Meeting Our Commitment to Care, Scottish Care’s Chief Executive has issued the following statement:

 

Scottish Care Chief Executive Dr Donald Macaskill said:

“Scottish Care welcomes this important research from Age Scotland, which highlights the shameful underfunding of elderly care in Scotland.

“Serious questions need to be asked about how we value the care of older people in Scotland, and what can be done to ensure every stage of an individual’s care journey prioritises their dignity, choice and human rights.  It is unacceptable that these delays are taking place, and finances – or a lack of them – cannot be seen as an acceptable justification or excuse.

“What’s more, delaying or denying someone’s access to care and support is counterproductive from a financial perspective anyway, never mind the negative impact this has on an older person’s health and wellbeing.  A lack of support being provided in someone’s own home or in a care home is likely to lead to more presentations at A&E departments and hospital admissions that may have been preventable with the appropriate support being funded and delivered in the community within appropriate timescales.

“Scottish Care’s 2015 report, Home Delivery, found that the average cost of one emergency admission for an individual aged 65+ equates to caring for 27.7 care at home clients for one week, or 9.28 weeks of residential care for an individual.  Therefore any illusion on the part of Local Authorities that delaying support to someone will save money is clearly false.

“Scottish Care is currently undertaking research, due to be published on 12 May, which further explores the impact of Free Personal Care on individuals in receipt of support and the care workforce.

“Shifting the balance of care towards enabling people to live at home, healthy and independent, for as long as possible has been a key policy objective of successive Scottish Governments.  But paradoxically what we have seen over the last decade or so is not that more people are being cared for and supported at home, but fewer albeit for longer and with more intensive packages of care and support.

“This research will highlight that the tightened eligibility criteria for receiving Free Personal Care means that increasingly, support in people’s own homes is being limited to only individuals with high level, intensive support needs and those who would previously have received support .

“This raises questions about how older people are being supported at an earlier stage in their care journey.  We would argue that they are being forgotten about under the current funding system, which is unacceptable.

“Urgent action is required by national and local governments to address the chronic underfunding of Scotland’s older people.  There are very real issues of ageism at play here in how we view, value and fund older people’s care, compared with other care groups.  Scottish Care has therefore issued an Agenda for Care in advance of the Scottish Local Elections and the General Election, calling on all parties to prioritise social care and the care of older people, and calling on citizens to consider whether their vote, whoever it is for, is a #VoteforCare.”

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Job: Office Manager & Executive PA

An exciting opportunity has arisen within Scottish Care for an Office Manager & Executive PA to work as part of our national team. This is a full time post (35 hours per week), based in Scottish Care’s offices in Ayr. There will be a requirement for occasional attendance at meetings & events

Scottish Care is the representative body for the largest group of health and social care sector independent providers across Scotland delivering residential care, day care, care at home and housing support.

Applicants must have experience in finance business management, in accounts and preferably have knowledge of SAGE.

They must have the ability to work under pressure and to tight deadlines, demonstrate versatility & flexibility along with excellent interpersonal skills at all levels and possess significant IT competencies.

The post holder will be responsible for the company accounts, CEOs diary and duties of a Company Secretary, along with organisational & administrative responsibilities and the ability to support staff in the office and across Scotland in delivering services to members.

This is an exciting post for someone who will have a strong commitment to the work of the organisation and the ability to work in a culture that is creative, structured and innovative.

For further information please read the Office Manager & PA Job Description, Person Specification & Equality Monitoring Form available on the links below.

Application Process

An Application Form  can be obtained directly from Cath Balmer, Office Manager, Scottish Care, 54a Holmston Road, Ayr KA7 3BE or by email from [email protected].  Completed forms should be returned to her no later than 12 noon on Friday 5th May 2017

Interviews will be held in on Thursday 18th May 2017.  

Download the job profile here.

Download the application form here. 

Download the equality monitoring form here.

CVs will not be accepted.

Interviews will be held on Thursday 18th May 2017.

Closing Date: 12 noon on Friday 5 May 2017.

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New overnight care at home service in Inverness

The following news item appeared in The Press and Journal on 20th April 2017 and highlights the success of a pilot undertaken by Scottish Care Local Integration Leads in Inverness.

A new overnight care-at-home service is to be trialled in Inverness to ease pressure on hospital beds.

NHS Highland announced yesterday that it was launching the year-long pilot project in partnership with care provider group Scottish Care.

It will involve staff at three independent providers – Gateway, Castle Care and Eildon – helping support patients in the Highland capital in their homes at night.

The initiative, which is expected to be rolled out across the region in the future, aims to reduce the length of hospital stays in the region and enable patients to receive more care at home.

Announcing the pilot, NHS Highland’s special projects lead Jean-Pierre Sieczkarek said: “The overnight service is a response to the need for support during the night to allow safe discharge from hospital where required, to respond to social care interventions such as falls and help calls and support people to be safely supported in their own home.

“We are hopeful that this type of intervention will take pressure off our hospitals by reducing the number of admissions and speeding up discharge for patients.

“We are confident that this initiative can prevent people from being placed in residential care, when support overnight could allow them the choice of returning home.”

Rhoda Grant, Highlands and Islands Labour MSP, said: “It’s a good initiative. Anything that keeps people at home, or allows them to get home more quickly, is to be welcomed.

“I often speak to GPs who say they have no alternative but to send vulnerable people to hospital because there is no alternative at night when they should not be left alone either due to illness or a fall.”

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Latest blog from our CEO: #VoteforCare

#VoteforCare

Over the next few weeks if you don’t like politics or like Brenda from Bristol you are fatigued by the constancy of being offered to vote in elections and referenda, it might be best if you leave the country for two months.

Within hours of the General Election being announced the political rhetoric was being refined, the battle buses were being serviced and the party spin was being texted to aspirant and existing politicians. Before even 24 hours had passed the print and visual media had polished up their appearance, the studio couches had been vacuumed and the logos and backdrops had been re-designed.

There is on one level something theatrical about the ‘event’ which is an election, whether at local or national level. The machine whether smooth or juddery, new or old, usually follows predictable tramlines. We’ve already had a dose of mud-slinging mixed with accusations of betrayal and personal condemnation. Increasingly you either love it or loathe it.

What is inescapable, is that all too often the critical issues get brushed aside by a wave of reportage which focuses on personality and a popularity contest. What is regrettably all too common is that debate and rhetoric are reduced to sound-bites rather than an articulation of complexity and a search for shared solutions. What is almost inevitable is that an election diminishes consensus and consolidates polarity.

The role of an organisation like Scottish Care is always a challenging one during an election. We walk a tightrope seeking to avoid being party political whilst at the same time wanting to articulate the issues that matter to our members, to workers and the people being supported and cared for.

Social care has rarely been at the critical juncture it finds itself at the current time. We are a sector no longer on the edge of crisis but daily battling for survival. That may sound melodramatic but it is the acute reality for all too many.

So, we aren’t going to tell you who to vote for but over the next eight weeks through the Scottish Local Elections and up to the General Election what we invite you to do is to #VoteforCare. We will release weekly statements on what a Vote for Care might mean.

We invite you to ask your candidates and parties what are they planning to do for social care in Scotland?

What will they do to address the fact that:

  • We have a 28% vacancy level for nurses in care homes in Scotland
  • We have 9 out of 10 home care companies struggling to recruit staff
  • We pay as a society only £3.97 per hour to support an older person in a care home with 24/7 intensive nursing care
  • We pay our frontline care workers on average a £1 less than they can get for stacking shelves in the local supermarket
  • We have workers forced to get someone out of bed, washed and fed in less than 20 minutes
  • We have people being cared for in their last few days by staff who are stressed and burnt out because of overwork
  • We have family carers at breaking point because more and more is expected of them
  • We risk losing 1 in 12 carers who work in Scotland but come from Europe
  • We daily hear from older Scots who feel they have been short-changed in the care the Government will pay for them

So whoever you are, someone who receives support at home or is cared for in a nursing home, a family member or a friend, a care worker or someone who simply wants the vulnerable to be supported with dignity, let us all make care matter in the midst of the political noise.

Let all of us ask candidates what they plan to do not just what they plan to say, and together let’s make sure we all #VoteforCare.

Donald Macaskill

@DrDMacaskill