From today (26 May 22) Scottish Care and partner organisations are calling on organisations to support the next phase of the campaign for a new National Outcome to fully value and invest in those experiencing care and all those providing it.

This is a campaign created by Oxfam Scotland, Carers Scotland, Scottish Care, One Parent Families Scotland, the Scottish Women’s Budget Group, with support from the University of the West of Scotland. Together, we are calling for the Scottish Government to add a dedicated National Outcome on care to their existing set, in recognition that care – and all those provide it – are currently invisible within them.

People who care for others, whether paid or unpaid, are under-valued and under-rewarded, creating significant personal and financial costs for many, particularly for women who provide most care.

In the coming months, for the first time in five years, the Scottish Government will begin to review the existing National Outcomes – the legally required goals which it says describe the kind of Scotland it aims to create. We believe that care must be placed at the heart of the Scottish Government’s vision for Scotland.

Today we’re launching a new phase of our campaign for a new National Outcome on care – now called “A Scotland that Cares”. We’re asking organisations across Scotland to support the campaign. Find out how to show your support here: https://oxfamapps.org/scotland/2022/05/24/a-scotland-that-cares/ #ScotlandCares

An Invitation: “A Scotland that Cares” Partner Webinar: 8 June 2022

We understand that you may have questions about the Campaign. We therefore wish to invite you to a short, informal online webinar – 1000-1100 on Wednesday, 8 June 2022 – to find out more. The webinar will explain the background to the Campaign, with short contributions from existing partners, and input from the University of the West of Scotland on their blueprint for a National Outcome on care.

Please register here: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/a-scotland-that-cares-partner-briefing-tickets-348686991177

We very much hope organisations will consider supporting A Scotland that Cares.

New report on nursing emphasises need to change perception of careers in social care

Scottish Care has published a new insights report on nursing in social care  today (Thursday 12 May 2022) as part of International Nurses Day.

The report titled ‘Hearing the nursing voice:  Listening to Independent Sector Social Care Nurses’ is a follow on from the 2016 report – ‘Voices from the Nursing Front Line’, capturing the experiences of frontline registered nurses working in the independent social care sector in Scotland. The report depicts the rewards and challenges of social care nursing, whilst highlighting the importance of nursing within the sector as well as the specialism of the role.

‘Hearing the nursing voice:  Listening to Independent Sector Social Care Nurses’ is based on a qualitative study of approximately 84 participants through one-to-one interviews and a focus group. Most of these participants are Registered Nurses, with a variety of different roles in care home and care at home settings.

The research identified four areas of particular expertise, described in the report as ‘Principles of Practice’, which help to define and describe nursing in social care. These include:

• Building relationships with residents and relatives
• Supporting wellness
• Being a visible and compassionate leader
• Sharing knowledge and empowering others

It also found that there is a continued stigma associated with social care nursing, especially in care homes. Some of this stigma has been exacerbated by the Covid-19 crisis, with misguided political decision making and disproportionately negative media coverage  serving to devalue the role of nurses in social care and massively impacting this workforce. Nurses from the study reported that they feel that they are negatively perceived by their peers, professionals, the public and the media. The report highlights  a continued lack of understanding of the role of nurses in social care, including it being viewed  as a ‘low status career choice’, and this negative image contributes to the nursing recruitment and retention issues currently faced by the social care sector.

Despite these challenges, participants also spoke about their love for their role and how proud they are of being a nurse in social care, with the research findings reinforcing the crucial leadership, value and support that nurse in social care provide for people who live and work in care homes.

The author of the report, Dr Jane Douglas, Scottish Care’s Transforming Workforce Lead for Nursing commented:

“All the nurses who took part in the study were proud of what they do, their passion and compassion shone through. Nursing in social care is a specialist complex role, which is sometimes challenging but also dynamic. Historically the role has been an enigma: sometimes invisible, often misunderstood and undervalued. This report provides a real insight into the nursing role in social care with an aim to define the role and help to change perception.”

‘Hearing the nursing voice:  Listening to Independent Sector Social Care Nurses’ was launched at the ‘I feel, I see, I imagine’ virtual nursing event in celebration of International Nurses Day 2022. This event was organised by Scottish Care, the representative body for independent social care services across Scotland, with key speakers including the former Director of the Royal College of Nursing Scotland (RCN Scotland), Theresa Fyffe and the Chief Executive of the Queen’s Nursing Institute Scotland (QNIS), Clare Cable

Read the report here.

New award will recognise compassionate employers

A new scheme launches this week to make workplaces better for people who are grieving.

The new Bereavement Charter Mark will recognise employers who support bereaved staff.  It is accompanied by a Bereavement-Friendly Workplaces Toolkit providing tips and advice on how employers, managers and colleagues can support people who are grieving.

“Losing someone we love is the hardest thing many of us have to go through, and the pandemic has made life even more difficult for people who are bereaved.” Says Rebecca Patterson, Director of Good Life, Good Death, Good Grief. “No-one can take away someone’s grief, but employers have the power to make someone’s life a little better or a lot worse.”

To gain the new Bereavement Charter Mark, employers must agree to take some simple steps towards creating a supportive environment for people who are bereaved, for example educating staff about bereavement, or creating a local bereavement policy.

“I was worried about how I would cope.“ says Clare, who was apprehensive about returning to work after her Mum died.  “My line manager was just brilliant.  It was a case of ‘do what you can, when you can, if you can’. I can’t begin to tell you the relief this gave me.  But other people at work said and did some really insensitive things that made me feel terrible.  Hopefully these new resources will help other people facing the same situation as me.”

The new resources were produced by the Scottish Bereavement Charter Group, and Good Life, Good Death, Good Grief, a charity initiative working to make Scotland a place where everyone knows how to help when someone is caring, dying or grieving.

The resources include:

• A Bereavement-Friendly Workplaces Toolkit with information to help employers develop helpful workplace practices relating to bereavement.
• A Charter Mark that gives recognition to employers working to become more bereavement-friendly.
• An Employer’s Guide to the Bereavement Charter.
• A leaflet ‘What to do when a colleague has been bereaved’.
• A checklist of ‘things to do’ to become a bereavement-friendly workplace.

“Becoming a bereavement-friendly workplace doesn’t have to be expensive – a lot of it is about flexibility, sensitivity and good communication.” Says Donald Macaskill, Chief Executive of Scottish Care.

“The Charter Mark and Toolkit help employers to see how simple actions by colleagues and managers can make a big difference to people who are living with grief.”

The new resources have been tested out with business leaders in Inverclyde, with positive results.

“At CVS Inverclyde we’ve been working towards achieving the new Bereavement Charter Mark, and it has been an incredibly positive experience for all involved.” says Alison Bunce of Inverclyde Cares.  “It has been a great opportunity to bring colleagues together and talk through what we want to do to support each other through the difficult times that can come with bereavement.”

The new resources are being launched as part of ‘Demystifying Death Week’ which runs from 2-6 May.  Demystifying Death Week is about shining a light on death, dying and bereavement in Scotland.

“People usually want to do the right thing when someone they know is caring, dying or grieving. But often they can feel awkward offering help, or worry about making things worse.” says Mark Hazelwood, Chief Executive of the Scottish Partnership for Palliative Care.

“Demystifying death week, and the new Bereavement Charter Mark and Workplaces Toolkit, are about giving people knowledge, skills and opportunities to plan and support each other through death, dying, loss and care.”

The new resources can be accessed at: https://www.goodlifedeathgrief.org.uk/content/bereavement_friendly_workplaces/

The ruling will be devastating for families who lost loved ones discharged from hospitals to care homes early in the pandemic. It raises important questions about what information and advice was given to and heeded by politicians at this time. It will be crucial that the issue of hospital discharge without appropriate testing or isolation is also examined in a Scottish context and we look forward to this being taken forward as part of a robust public inquiry in the coming months. It will be very important that the voices and experiences of frontline care staff, managers and families are prioritised in this process, given it was these individuals who bore the weight of grief, trauma and distress as a result of these discharge decisions, the general prioritisation of the NHS, and these subsequent deaths. This ruling serves as another reminder of the enormous human cost of the pandemic and decisions that were taken, and our thoughts remain with everyone affected.