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Press and Journal
6 days ago
- Health
- Press and Journal
Care staff 'cheated and let down' as Aberdeenshire projects axed and dozens face redundancies
Care staff across Aberdeenshire 'feel cheated and let down' as dozens face redundancies in a major shake-up of projects for disabled people. Aberdeenshire Health and Social Care Partnership have decided to shut down eight projects offering those with learning disabilities more activities in their local area. The Can-Do Recycling and Shop in Fraserburgh, Woodwork Project at Aden Country Park and Buchan Day Opportunities at Crimond are among those to be axed. It's part of a huge 'recovery plan' that aims to save the partnership millions. Other services – such as home care, assisted transport and emergency responders – will also be reduced or stopped as health chiefs try to fill a £22 million black hole. Members of the Integration Joint Board agreed the drastic scheme last week, with officials poised to carry out a further review to finalise the details. And with dozens of jobs on line, Unison branch secretary Inez Kirk says staff who have 'invested time and commitment' into building up those projects now feel 'cheated'. The eight learning disability projects will close in the coming months, with the partnership's scheme 'Be all you can be' being rolled out to fill in the gaps. This means that once the changes are implemented, there will be two main hubs for day care services – one in Fraserburgh and one in Inverurie – and four 'satellite' bases. Papers show about 20 people could lose their jobs in the process, which would potentially save the partnership nearly £590,000 per year. This would be achieved both through voluntary severance and redundancies, with initial talks with staff understood to begin this month. Speaking on behalf of those affected, Ms Inez said this is a blow to staff who have put a lot of work and dedication into getting those learning disability projects off the ground. She said: 'I felt their heartbreak about what was happening. 'They've set up these projects and it's taken a long time to do that. 'The staff have dedicated so much time to these services, and have dealt through all the iterations, all the new projects and all the new ways of working. 'They have done everything they've been asked to do over the years, and now they feel cheated, they feel let down.' Ms Kirk went on to warn of the widespread impact shutting down these projects would have on those who are most vulnerable. Her words were echoed by Fiona Robertson, of the Disabled People Against Cuts group, who argued 'disabled people often make a useful target when cuts need to be made'. Ms Kirk added: 'The issue that we have here is that these people are going to be impacted by many of the proposals. 'They may receive home care, they may receive transport, they may use day services – these are multiple impacts potentially hitting the same people. 'That is major, and we tend to look at things in isolation which is quite concerning.' However, health chief Leigh Jolly reassured that these changes won't happen overnight and no one will be left without care.
Press and Journal
29-05-2025
- Health
- Press and Journal
Apologetic Aberdeenshire health boss admits care cuts 'caused distress' as she vows to 'repair broken trust'
Newly appointed health boss Leigh Jolly has apologised for the 'confusion and distress' inflicted upon residents hit by social care cuts. Ms Jolly took on the leading role at Aberdeenshire Health and Social Care Partnership (AHSCP) in April after former chief Pam Milliken moved on amid a major funding crisis. And her first task was to get the controversial recovery plan drafted by her predecessor over the line in a bid to save the partnership £17 million. This included slashing a number of services – including axing daycare projects and transport for the disabled, as well as devising a drastic redesign of in-house home care. The proposed changes and lack of information sparked outrage among residents, who feared their loved ones would be left without the vital care they need. Ms Jolly has now admitted that they haven't communicated the plans appropriately, and apologised for the worry and distress project leaders have caused to all affected by the cuts. Kicking off a six-hour debate, the health chief admitted they have failed to explain the savings project correctly, leaving people with 'conflated and confusing' information. And she promised to learn from that mistake going forward after members of the Integration Joint Board voted through all of the proposed cuts yesterday. As part of the recovery plan, home care and Aberdeenshire Responders Care at Home Service (Arch) will be merged, while all transport for disabled people will be axed. Daycare activities for older people across three very sheltered housing facilities will also be slashed from 10 to five sessions per week, and eight learning disability projects will be terminated. However, Ms Jolly stressed that none of these will be enforced before a suitable alternative is found for each person who needs care. She said: 'In my previous role as chief social work officer, I outlined that we would not leave anyone who was assessed as having substantial or critical need without a service. 'We have to date not got this right for everyone, and I sincerely apologise to anyone who has been impacted and left worried by any of our communications and actions. 'And while we still have to make significant changes, we would do this openly and honestly to ensure that no one is left without an alternative plan.' Several concerned residents went before the board to share their personal experiences in hope of halting the bemoaned cuts to their care services. Through tears, Sandra Wood spoke of non-verbal son Fraser, who might lose his nurturing environment at Fraserburgh Day Opportunities once the criteria is changed. Meanwhile, Denise MacDonald told the board about her sister-in-law Ellie, who has Down's syndrome and needs to be monitored regularly. She attends the same centre as Fraser five days a week and now her spot there is at risk, with her sessions potentially dropping down to two or three. After listening to their heartfelt stories, Ms Jolly once again promised to work with all families to ensure no one loses out on the care they need. She acknowledged the discrepancies in how the drastic changes have been communicated and how they have been perceived by residents. And she admitted this is their mistake to fix. She said: 'I think the trust is broken, and we have a lot of work to do to regain the trust of the people in our communities. 'I'm hoping that those of you who have experienced confusion or distress have had feedback from the services by now to say that we've got this wrong. 'As your new chief officer, what you will get from me is honesty – we will put our hands up, say we haven't got things right and work together to ensure that we do get it right.' She then explained that these closures will not happen overnight, and vowed to learn from their mistakes and reach out to each family about how they would be impacted. Now that the initial proposals have been agreed, health officials will start ironing out the details of each of the changes. This would involve setting up a new eligibility criteria for home and day care, figuring out alternative plans with private providers and sorting out possible redundancies. Ms Jolly added: 'What I want to do is understand and have a real picture of every single person who will be impacted by any decisions. 'And then, I want us to create a very clear plan in terms of communication and how we come meet families in your communities and talk to you face to face. 'We absolutely have to listen to what you've got to say and use that to inform our decision-making.'
Press and Journal
22-05-2025
- General
- Press and Journal
Fraserburgh amputee: 'Closing Can-Do centre robs me of reason to get up in the morning'
Gordon Thomson started helping out at the Can-Do recycling project in Fraserburgh nearly 20 years ago. Volunteering there has been a big part of his life, keeping himself busy by spending three days a week sorting out the metal into different piles. When he heard it was closing down, he 'couldn't even move' and remained in bed for the whole day contemplating a future without it. Gordon is just one of several disabled north-east residents and their families battling plans to axe eight disability daycare projects across Aberdeenshire. And this week, they turned out in force at the Broch's Robertson Road centre to make their feelings known. Gordon was just one of the crestfallen protestors we spoke to… The Aberdeenshire Health and Social Care Partnership (AHSCP) is ploughing ahead with major changes in a bid to save £17 million. And the axe could fall on these beloved services within days, with a crunch meeting next Wednesday. Under the new plans, the Robertson Road Centre in Fraserburgh would be retained as the 'main hub' in the north of the county. Banff Day Services and Buchan Day Opportunities would be kept alongside this. However the Can-Do Recycling base and shop in Fraserburgh and Connecting the Broch could be scrapped, among others in the region. I meet Gordon as he brandishes a placard outside the Westshore Industrial Estate building. He has been attending Can-Do in Fraserburgh for around 17 years. The announcement that Can-Do was at threat of being axed filled him with dread. He explained: 'These two lassies came in and told me, they said 'sorry to tell you but we've got to stop'. 'I'm still there yet, but I haven't got a clue what is happening there and I don't know when it will end.' Gordon said the revelation made him feel 'very, very sad'. He added: 'It really hurt me… It will be a big miss to me whenever it happens.' Gordon revealed the news of his beloved project being at risk of closing came as a big shock, so much so that he didn't leave his bed the next day. 'I couldn't even move, my carer wondered what was happening because she was phoning me up,' he told me. 'When she came in, I eventually told her and it just started me up again…' Gordon admits he finds working with the shop side of it 'boring', but he loves organising the recycling into their designated buckets – and all of the separation is done by hand. The site also deals with large oil cans collected from restaurants. Once everything is in the right place, it is bailed up and taken away. Users and volunteers then clean the buckets ready for the next day. 'The best thing is when it comes to half past two and you go, 'Yee-ha!' because it's time to go,' Gordon says with a chuckle. Mindful of the site he has come to love, he can't help wonder what will become of it. 'I'd like to know what is going to happen with the shop and what they are going to do with all the stuff that's inside it – it's a busy place.' Julie Buchan volunteers at Can-Do and works alongside 'hard worker' Gordon. It's clear the two have struck up a close bond. 'Gordon is just the bones of the place,' she tells me with admiration. 'He knows all of the work and helps others – he helped me as a volunteer.' Gordon instantly fires back: 'I keep her right. We are the A-Team because we don't muck about, we just get going.' Julie started volunteering at Can-Do a couple of years ago and admits she didn't realise how much work went on there. 'They provide donated affordable furniture, household items, bikes and beds for people that need it,' she adds. 'The recycling element of it is widespread because the collection trucks go out to Banff, Macduff, Mintlaw, right round to Fyvie. 'If Can-Do is not collecting all of the recycling, where is all of that stuff going to go?' Plans have been made for Gordon to attend the Men's Shed instead, however a recent visit left him feeling disappointed as he struggled to access the site with his wheelchair. Anne-Marie Lawrence is among the crowd too. Her 19-year-old son Dylan has been attending Robertson Road for just over a year but he also visits the recycling project two days a week. The proud mum said: 'He loves Can-Do, he likes getting out in the truck.' Julie attests to this, chipping in: 'He gets stuck right in and shovels the tins away.' However, Anne-Marie tells me Dylan's future care arrangements still hang in the balance. 'I've not had confirmation in writing but I got a text message to say not to worry about Dylan, he would still meet the criteria,' she tells me. 'When I had my meeting for my son, they asked how I would feel about travelling to Inverurie. 'I told them I didn't have time to travel across the north-east, I've got my own job to go to – they just don't think.' As well as services like Can-Do closing, tighter rules on who is eligible for care are being rolled out. It could mean certain people are entitled to less than they have become used to. And another mum eager to share her story is Alison Duthie. Her 19-year-old son Christopher, who takes seizures, has epilepsy and severe learning disabilities, has been attending the Robertson Road centre for almost a year. Christopher visits the centre four days per week, but this could be cut down to just three. 'We get 22 hours just now,' Alison said. 'If we don't get that and there's nothing to entertain Christopher in the Broch, it would affect his mental health and mine as well. 'You fight tooth and nail for your bairns, and because they are disabled they've got a raw deal – it's heartbreaking.' I then meet Denise Macdonald and her sister-in-law Ellie Fairclough. Denise took on the role of being Ellie's personal assistant but sees Ellie as a daughter. The 28-year-old has Down's syndrome and a weak heart, and is monitored regularly because of this. Ellie attends Robertson Road five days a week and loves going there to hang out with her friends. The family have been told that going forward, Ellie will qualify for two or three days maximum – and this is causing concern. 'What's going to happen to Ellie for the two or three days she's not at the centre? My partner works full-time so who is going to watch Ellie? 'Ellie can't go on the bus, she has no concept of what money is and she wouldn't know when to get off… She needs to be with an adult 24/7. Denise explains that Ellie doesn't understand what is going on at the moment and won't take the reduction in days well as she hates change. 'She might think she did something wrong,' Denise worries. Aberdeenshire health chiefs carried out studies on each of the services at risk, determining how adversely their closure could affect vulnerable people. They say the 'majority' of people who attend Can-Do are 'not eligible' for in-house daycare services and will 'be offered an alternative' within the community. The report states: 'Learning disability teams are skilled in supporting transitions with service users/families /carers and will work with them to support people into new or alternative services. 'Traditionally services like Fraserburgh Can-Do Recycling and Shop were supporting less complex people with learning disabilities.'
BBC News
01-05-2025
- Health
- BBC News
'Cuts to Aberdeenshire disability day care would be devastating'
Relatives of adults with learning disabilities in Aberdeenshire have said any cuts to day services would be "devastating".The Aberdeenshire Health and Social Care Partnership is currently reviewing its day centre provision as part of plans to save millions of and carers of adults with learning disabilities met with Aberdeenshire councillors at Fraserburgh Leisure Centre on Thursday and urged them to protect the "essential" Accounts Commission warned earlier this year that the financial position of Scotland's Integration Joint Boards (IJBs) - which oversee health partnerships - was "precarious". Nireeca McNab helps to care for her 55-year-old aunt Isobel Ann in Ann has attended the Robertson Road day centre in the town for the last 35 years."She really relies on the service," said Nireeca."Robertson Road is the only respite our family gets, we do really rely on that service because we are unpaid carers for both my granny and my auntie." Day centres review When Aberdeenshire's IJB set its budget earlier this year, it agreed that it would review several of the services it provides including in-house learning disability day review focuses on the building-based day services currently on offer in Fraserburgh, Crimond, Banff, Ellon and could see services focused on those with what are seen as the highest includes those with profound multiple learning disabilities, behaviour that challenges, or those transitioning from school and requiring a period of with low to moderate needs could be signposted to other support a result of this, the number of day centres could be reduced. Nireeca said it would be "heart-breaking" for her family if the health and social care partnership cut the number of day said: "The fact that this is even being considered an option is just unbelievable."I feel like the people making these decisions either don't have a heart or have never walked through the doors of Robertson Road, because if they did this wouldn't be happening."The joy and the excitement and the fun that happens behind the doors - you can't even imagine it."She added: "We're putting up a fight and we're not just going to stand here and take it because we really do rely on the service – it's not a luxury, it's essential." Alison Duthie's son Kristopher, 19, also uses the Fraserburgh day centre."It means the world to him," she said. "If that is taken away from Christopher, I really don't know what we would do."It's a very difficult time, it's a challenging time, it's an emotional time, because we don't know what's going to happen and they need structure."Alison said the school gave her son "structure" and it would negatively impact their family if he lost that added: "If Christopher didn't get to Robertson Road, I really don't know what would happen."We can entertain him so much, but he's there with all his friends, the staff are like friends to them."He's my boy, and you just want the best for him like any other parent. You just want the best. And as far as we are concerned just now it is Robertson Road." Jeff Shaw, the Aberdeenshire Health and Social Care Partnership manager for North Aberdeenshire, said it was facing "critical financial challenges" and must make more than £17m in savings this year."This means that we will have to do things differently, modernise and transform how we deliver our services, and we will need to do it quickly," he said."I understand and can empathise with the concerns of families, however I can reassure them that people with an assessed need will continue to receive support. "Those with less profound need may no longer meet the criteria to attend our day services and will be supported and signposted to access wider community-based supports."Older adult activity hubs and social care transport are also under review as part of cost-saving on all the reviews will be brought back to the IJB at the end of May.
Press and Journal
23-04-2025
- Health
- Press and Journal
Fraserburgh families devastated over disabled daycare cuts - saying changes will 'destroy' their loved ones
Families of disabled people who could be affected by drastic cuts to daycare services in Fraserburgh have slammed the proposals. Around 40 people turned up to a public meeting on Thursday – that was only arranged a day before – to vent their frustrations and anger at planned cuts to Aberdeenshire daycare centres. Fraserburgh Day Opportunities, which is located in the Robertson Road Resource Centre in the Buchan town, provides a service to adults with learning disabilities in Fraserburgh and the surrounding areas. Activities include baking, cooking, singing, swimming at Fraserburgh Leisure Centre and trampolining, amongst others. However, some of the services are now under threat as Aberdeenshire Health and Social Care Partnership looks to make cuts to services in order to save millions of pounds, with a decision to be made by the integrated joint board next month. Attending the meeting – held at the leisure centre – was Nicola McNabb, whose 55-year-old sister Isobel Ann has been attending the Robertson Road hub for 34 years, and is having her days cut from five to three. 'Robertson Road is all she knows, it's her work,' she told The Press and Journal. Her sister, who has Laurence-Moon-Bardet-Biedl syndrome and retinitis Pigmentosa – meaning she is completely blind – as well as diabetes and kidney failure, has been going there for longer than all of the staff at Fraserburgh Day Opportunities Nicola said: 'The slightest thing can disrupt my sister's whole day. She thinks it's all her fault, she doesn't understand she's not to blame.' The review of day care services could mean the number of spaces available will be reduced, with those with a 'profound and multiple learning disability' being prioritised over others and there being a focus on 'care in the community'. The cost of day services will also increase, going from £48 to £148 per day. Nicola thinks the disabled community are being scapegoated by Aberdeenshire Council. 'They're an easy target,' she said. At the beginning of the process, it was confirmed that Isobel Ann did not have a space, but this changed after a letter from her doctor confirmed she had 'profound disabilities' and one from her kidney specialist. Regarding the latter, Nicola told The P&J: 'It said on it that she needs this centre to get out and about because it will physically kill her if she doesn't. 'She's in kidney failure as it is, she needs to be active, she needs to be stimulated and she won't get that at home.' Isobel Ann used to get four days of social time, where a carer picked her up at 3pm daily for two hours. They would go shopping, which would give her 'a purpose', however, that has now stopped. 'She's back to crying and thinking that she's doing something wrong and that the carers don't want to take her anymore,' Nicola said. Isobel Ann's sibling said that Fraserburgh Day Opportunities is 'all she knows' and the things they do are 'honestly unbelievable', with her being aghast at the proposals. Denise Macdonald's 28-year-old sister-in-law Ellie, who has Down's syndrome and a leaking heart valve, also attends the Robertson Road centre. Her mum passed away a couple of years ago, and Denise's brother John is now her legal guardian. Denise gave up her two jobs at Aberdeenshire Council to care of Ellie to let John work full-time. Ellie attends the centre five days a week and has been there for a 'lot of years'. For Ellie it's a job Monday to Friday and a purpose for her every morning,' her sister-in-law told The P&J. Denise said they will never put her into care as 'she's part of the family'. She admitted that if she did not get to continue going to Fraserburgh Day Opportunities, 'it would destroy her'. Ultimately, Ellie's carer believes the cuts are nothing but a 'cop out'. Alison Duthie, whose 19-year-old son Kristopher attends Robertson Road four days a week told The P&J that she is 'absolutely devastated with the cuts'. Kristopher, who has a severe living disability, is non-verbal, on a feeding tube and has a 'bad chest', has only been attending since August last year. He has 'absolutely loved it' according to his mum. Although his ongoing place at the centre has been confirmed, Alison is worried what the future will hold. 'If Kristopher didn't get Robertson Road, I am sure his mental health would definitely go down. I would be the same. 'That five hours a day is my time to do my cleaning or go out, or socialising. If I didn't have that time, I don't know how it would be. 'When Kristopher's there, that's my time.' Alison does not think the decision-makers know what it is like to look after a disabled person. 'It's 24 hours a day, seven days a week, even when you're sleeping. I don't even get a night's sleep,' she said. And despite her son getting a place, she thinks it is 'discrimination' that some will not. 'It's sheer discrimination what they're doing, because they're picking at their disability. 'They're all disabled, that's why they're there and why they can't work.' North Aberdeenshire partnership manager for Aberdeen Health and Social Care Partnership, Jeff Shaw said: 'I understand and can empathise with the concerns of families, however, I can reassure them that people with an assessed need will continue to receive support. 'Those with less profound needs may no longer meet the criteria to attend our day services and will be supported to access other services. 'No one will find their attendance at one of our day services stopped overnight. We will work with service users and families to ensure they get the right support to meet their needs. 'I understand that some people may be concerned about the increase in our fees. I can reassure everyone that we will work to ensure that there is no detriment to service users, due to the cost increase, at this time.' Another meeting will be held at Fraserburgh Leisure Centre on May 1 between 10am until 12pm, with a capacity of 200 being able to be accommodated for. Read more: All the Aberdeenshire health charges that could rocket amid savings plan
