Following the Draft Budget Statement from the Cabinet Secretary for Finance the attached letter has been received from senior officials within the Scottish Government and COSLA.

Scottish Care warmly welcomes the commitment in the Statement and in this letter to the funding of £100million to finance the Scottish Living Wage to £8.45 and the decision that there will be no expected provider contribution, as well as the acceptance of the additional on costs which employers face and the recognition of the need for funding to ensure the sustainability of the sector as a whole.

Scottish Care is committed to working with our statutory partners to ensure that the next round of implementation builds on good practice, where providers have been fully engaged, involved and consulted and where there has been a real sense of partnership to achieve positive outcomes for those who receive support.

Scottish Care has long campaigned for the true valuing and recognition of our front line care workers, who give so much to some of our most vulnerable citizens.  We acknowledge that this announcement is a significant step in achieving this aim.

 

Dr Donald Macaskill

Chief Executive

Scottish Care

The Scottish Care Executive and National Committee are meeting today in Glasgow at the Hilton Hotel from 9:30am onwards.

Closes on Friday: Please take part in our important Scottish Living Wage surveys

 

For Scottish Care Members:

It is now some time since the 1st October saw the start of the Scottish Living Wage (SLW) for front line care workers.  Negotiations for fee rates will be significantly affected both by the introduction of the SLW this year and any future increases.

We want to gain evidence on the impact of the SLW on the care home and care at home/housing support sectors and would be very grateful if you could complete the relevant survey.  This will support our ongoing discussions and negotiations, including in relation to the National Care Home Contract and the Care at Home/Housing Support reform process currently underway.

The information given will be treated in the strictest confidence and will be anonymised when analysed to ensure it is non-identifiable.

Please complete one survey per organisation.  The surveys can be accessed below:

 

Care at Home / Housing Support SLW Survey

Care Home SLW Survey

 

Please complete the relevant survey by 16 December 2016.  It is important that we have a good number of responses to ensure the resulting data is robust.

If you have any questions about the survey, please contact [email protected]

Thank you in advance for your cooperation.

A statement from Dr Donald Macaskill, CEO, Scottish Care

There has been a great deal of emphasis in the media over the last few days about the need to put additional financial resources into social care funding in England and Wales and I have been asked what should be happening in Scotland.

As many of you will know Derek Mackay, the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and the Constitution is due to make a Statement to the Scottish Parliament on Thursday afternoon (15 December) on the Scottish Draft Budget for 2017-18. This will provide the basis for discussions with Local Government and it will provide some insight into the possible funding of social care over the next year.

Before the Scottish Parliamentary elections earlier in the year Scottish Care issued an Agenda for Care.

This was a ten point plan which asked all candidates to address the issues challenging the sector at the time, and amongst them was the inadequacy of funding for social care for older people, whether that was care home or care at home and housing support services.

Eight months on the care sector in Scotland is under immense pressure. There are several ways in which a Scottish Budget by prioritising social care can help support the reform agenda that is currently underway within Scotland.

1.  Earlier this year the Scottish Government allocated £250 million to Integrated Joint Boards and part of this has gone to pay the Scottish Living Wage to front line care staff. However the process of achieving this aim has not been without difficulty. Many care home and care at home providers have had to pay on-costs and increase the salaries of those who do not deliver front line care; others have had to draw on reserves and savings to enable them to pay the Living Wage. In other words the welcome Scottish Living Wage initiative has been partly and not fully funded. We call upon the Scottish Government to ensure that any additional increases in the Scottish Living Wage placed upon care providers are fully funded and that consideration is given to other workers in the care sector to ensure equality and fair treatment.
2.  At present one in four nursing posts in care homes are vacant with providers having to pay exorbitant fees to agencies to ensure services can continue to be safely delivered. We are calling upon Scottish Government to ensure there is dedicated funding to address the nursing shortage in the social care sector including by means of an immediate increase in student placements.
3. Together with partners in Scottish Government and COSLA, amongst others, Scottish Care has been engaged in undertaking work to develop an independent and robust mechanism for calculating the true cost of care in care homes and care at home services. We are calling on the Scottish Government to ensure that there is sufficiency of resource to enable the required reform of care home and care at home/housing support services to be fully and properly funded.

We recognise that both local and national Government are under financial pressures and that there will always be competing demands on limited resources.

Scottish Care believes that expenditure on social care even in straitened times is money well spent because it serves as a preventative measure for individuals and in the long term is much more economical.

The cost of not prioritising social care at this time is a very human one. If we do not adequately support our care at home and care home sector we will end up with unsustainable services which will have a direct impact on individuals. We risk older individuals being stuck in hospital unnecessarily with all the trauma and distress that that causes, because without investment there will not be an adequacy of care home or care at home services. Not resourcing social care carries a real human cost.

Scottish Care believes that the time has come for our valuing of our older citizens and those who care for them to be at the heart of financial decision-making. The Scottish Budget offers all of us a potential opportunity to put older people’s care at the heart of our nation. It is an opportunity we should not miss.

Dr Donald Macaskill

CEO, Scottish Care

Health and Sport Committee asks questions re Nursing Workforce Data

 

The Convenor of the Health and Sport Committee of the Scottish Parliament as part of their Inquiry into Recruitment and Retention has asked the Cabinet Secretary for information relating to nursing recruitment into the social care sector. The Committee raises important questions about the extent to which the current critical shortage in nurses in social care has previously been factored into student intake calculations and what impact any inclusion has had to date.

 

Scottish Care remains concerned, as was highlighted in evidence given to the Committee by our Chief Executive Dr Donald Macaskill, that the critical level of nurse vacancies and likely ongoing negative impacts caused by Brexit and other factors, needs to be addressed as a matter of urgency.

 

You can read the letter at

www.parliament.scot/S5_HealthandSportCommittee/Inquiries/Letter_to_Cab_Sec_-_Final_no_sig(1).pdf

Scottish Care’s CEO Dr Donald Macaskill has been called twice in the last two months to give evidence to the Scottish Parliament’s Health and Sport Committee. The Health and Sport Committee has been conducting an Inquiry into Recruitment and Retention within the Social Care Workforce. They have explored issues such as work-life balance, rural recruitment, the impact of the Scottish Living Wage, commissioning practice, the role of Integrated Joint Boards, the impact of Brexit and other themes.

They requested responses on a range of these issues from the Cabinet Secretary and her letter is contained here:

Glasgow Providers Meeting – Scottish Care

Poem by the wonderful Ken Cockburn to sum up the themes, ideas and feelings from the recent National Annual Care Home Convention and Exhibition Friday 18th November at the Hilton Hotel in Glasgow.

Shared Stakes by Ken Cockburn    

We’re trying to do things differently this year

It’s always good to ponder what we mean

A shared stake in the success of care

It needs to be done correctly every day

We’re not perfect, I wouldn’t pretend we are

But are we really as good as we think we are?

We all know what the problems are by now

Struggling with constant distractions and urgent tasks

All the uncertainty that goes with that

We know new models are developing

With everyone in the room we’d work this out

Professional loneliness we should avoid

Everyone’s a house with four rooms

They will give us their own perspective on things

I’ve enjoyed my life, apart from this carry on

She gets back to sleep again, he doesn’t

Again a very tangible example

To give that physiotherapy student a glimpse

Doing good things in difficult circumstances

Being able to have the language at those times

Seeing the delight on people’s faces

My grandchildren – thinking about them laugh

Being by the sea and listening to it

This is the kind of thing I’d like to highlight

How do we capture that and then move forward?

Assistance from afar but when you need it

Being hands on, being there for someone

We need to get about it as it’s pressing

Something we need to do across the board

It’s so important that we have that voice

Just some examples that I’ve whistled through

Please do not underestimate what you do

I hope you enjoy the rest of your afternoon.

 

www.kencockburn.co.uk

“Care Homes at the Heart”

Report on Scottish Care National Care Home Conference 2016

2016 has been a year of significant transition in the care sector with a variety of positive outcomes and developments in the sector yet also the continuation of a number of challenges.

One thing that is clear is the determination of those who operate within the sector to continue to strive forwards.

This year the Scottish Care National Care Home Conference focussed on the theme “Care Homes at the Heart”, with speakers exploring the place of care homes at the heart of the community.

Conference took place on Friday 18^th November at the Hilton Hotel in Glasgow and attracted a record 480 delegates and over 80 exhibition stands. The level of interest in attending and exhibiting at Conference is increasing, with attendance growing each year.

The Annual Conference is the biggest and best attended event of its kind in Scotland, attracting a wide range of stakeholders including independent care sector organisations, Scottish Government, health and social care partnerships, regulatory bodies and private businesses.

With over 80% of care homes as members of the organisation, Scottish Care is the leading representative body for care homes in Scotland and the Conference is a must on the event calendar.

 

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Conference began with a welcome from the morning Chair Lord Sutherland, who warmly welcomed all in attendance to Conference and remarked on the growth of numbers at the event as well as highlighting the sincere dedication and professionalism of those who work in the sector.

We then had a welcome from Conference Sponsor the Clydesdale Bank, represented by Derek Breingan, the head of Health and Social Care Sector UK. Mr Breingan told Conference:

“The care sector is incredibly important to the Scottish economy and plays a valuable role in communities across the country. Despite the challenges, care providers are investing, innovating and enhancing the services they provide to continue delivering excellent levels of care. We’ve been working with care providers for many years and, as a very important part of our business, Clydesdale Bank is delighted to be partnering with Scottish Care and to be involved in this event which provides a fantastic platform to promote Scotland’s care home sector.”

Scottish Care recently entered into a partnership agreement with the Clydesdale Bank for a period of 3 years. The agreement will see the organisations work together for the benefit of the independent care sector in Scotland with the bank supporting a number of Scottish Care events and initiatives.

The Cabinet Secretary for Health, Wellbeing & Sport Shona Robison addressed Conference delegates next, praising dedicated front line nursing staff as well as innovative practices and high quality care taking place across the sector in Scotland.

The Cabinet Secretary praised Scottish Care for the Voices from the Front Line Nursing Report and highlighted that she was committed to listening to the voices and views of the frontline workforce.

 

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Scottish Care CEO Dr Donald Macaskill officially launched the Voices from the Front Line Nursing Report along with front line nurse Nancyanne Smith. The report is based on interviews with 28 nurses working in the independent sector, and shares their joys, frustrations and aspirations in their roles through their own voices.  It sets out 10 recommendations which Scottish Care hopes to progress in partnership with other organisations.

The report has enabled Scottish Care to gain a unique and extremely valuable insight into the day to day achievements and challenges faced by those working in the care sector.

Dr Macaskill thanked the efforts of Nancyanne and her colleagues across the sector for their contributions towards the report, as well as for their efforts in providing high levels of quality care every day throughout the independent care sector in Scotland.

Professor Sir Lewis Ritchie gave an impassioned and moving speech about care homes at the heart of Primary Care, the need to work together in the sector and the need to ensure we are open to working together as well as moving forwards as a sector together. Sir Lewis Ritchie highlighted the “importance of good leadership and innovation within the social care sector”.

Christina West, Chief Officer of the Argyll & Bute Health and Social Care Partnership spoke on care homes at the heart of integrated care in Scotland.

The presentation highlighted key attributes needed to contribute towards making high level integrated care a reality in addition to the importance of developing relationships in the sector based on shared ambition, values and culture.

Ms West spoke of a whole system approach to quality of care; a need to work together, understand one another’s roles and a need to best make use of resources – funding and people. The Chief Officer also highlighted examples of innovative practice across the country drawing from several examples of innovative care and forward thinking.

Brand new for Conference were the Insight Sessions, a series of workshops which gave delegates the opportunity to attend a session of their choice. Insight Sessions were delivered by organisations including Alzheimer Scotland, Luminate which looked at the use of arts in care, the Care Inspectorate who looked in depth at activity and falls in the care home and Spiritual Care delivered by Jenny Henderson.

Scottish Care delivered two of the insight sessions with Katharine Ross and Becca Gatherum leading the Workforce Matters session and Margaret McKeith delivering the Partners for Integration session. The insight sessions were a hugely popular part of Conference this year with all sessions quickly filled in advance. A huge thanks to all the presenters and organisations who delivered Insight Sessions this year.

After lunch we had a welcome from the afternoon Chair, Annie Gunner Logan, Director of the Coalition of Care and Support Providers in Scotland (CCPS).

Conference was treated to a public premiere and world first public viewing of a film created by the BAFTA award winning Scottish documentary maker, Duncan Cowles. ‘Directed by North Merchiston’ is series of five short films made with residents at North Merchiston Care Home.   You can watch Duncan’s films at www.duncancowles.com/directed-by-north-merchiston

Led by Duncan Cowles, each resident was encouraged to take control of the filmmaking process and decide upon the direction and what content they’d like to be included within the films. ‘Directed by North Merchiston’ was commissioned by Scottish Care and Luminare as part of the Luminate Creative Ageing Festival.

There was not a dry eye in the house as delegates were treated to a wonderful screening of a selection of the films, which provide a unique insight into life in a care home and proved to be a memorable part of the day. We are hugely proud to have commissioned Duncan to make this wonderful project in partnership with Luminate.

 

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Dr Martin Wilson from Raigmore Hospital then gave a moving and engaging presentation on care homes at the heart of Palliative Care. Dr Wilson talked about assets in delivering palliative care as well as changing attitudes and perceptions through education about the need to prepare for requiring palliative care.

Dr Wilson said that “By 2030, 230,000 people in UK will need > 20 hours care a week” and that we should be prepared for realistically delivering this care in future.

Next up, an interview with the Care Inspectorate which saw Rami Okasha and Kevin Mitchell join Carlyn Miller from Scottish Care for a special panel focussing on care homes at the heart of Human Rights based regulation.

The panel reflected on the new National Care Standards and how they would best be employed across the sector.

Rami and Kevin also discussed new models of inspection with delegates and stated that “consistency is the greatest challenge for any inspection body’.

 

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Sally Loudon, Chief Executive of COSLA gave a presentation titled Care Homes at the Heart of Reform in which she told delegates that “we are all at a time of transformation and change” whilst also taking the opportunity to praise the long standing relationship between COSLA and Scottish Care.

Ms Loudon spoke about the reform of the Care Home Contract and highlighted the “need to continuously innovate and improve outcomes for people”.

Discussion of the issues surrounding recruitment and staff retention in the sector were focussed upon and Ms Loudon highlighted to delegates that “COSLA will continue to support, lead and drive reform work with you all as a critical issue and shared challenge.”

Award winning poet Ken Cockburn presented an original poem to Conference entitled Shared Stakes which he had written inspired by events of the day, taking inspiration from the themes, speakers and delegates of the day. You can read Ken’s poem here.

 

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Final comments were given by Dr Donald Macaskill, who summed up some of the main themes of the day in addition to thanking delegates, speakers and exhibitors for their attendance at the 2016 National Care Home Conference.

Dr Macaskill told Conference: “Sometimes change is not always welcome and reform is seen as uncomfortable but we have a real opportunity to shape the way we reform for the people who matter the most, which is not only those who provide services but those who use services.”

Dr Macaskill highlighted the Voices from the Front Line Nursing Report and the Independent Sector Nursing Data Report, “Our two reports launched this morning attempt to highlight the unique issues that we are currently facing. We have to address these issues in the short term as we need to dramatically increase the intake of nurses in Scotland.”

In thanking delegates and all in attendance Dr Macaskill said:

“Partners, dialogue and collaboration all help to ensure survival and success in sector that we are a part of.”

Referencing the earlier mentioned Care Home Week Dr Macaskill said: “We need to challenge the stereotypes of care homes.”

Ending on a note of togetherness and collaboration Dr Macaskill praised Conference by saying: “Today has been creative, it’s been about change and it’s been about challenge, that we all face together and will endure together. Thank you to everyone who has facilitated and led our insight sessions today, thank you to our delegates and exhibitors, thank you Conference.”