Latest news with #AdamStachura
The Herald Scotland
3 days ago
- Health
- The Herald Scotland
Pensioner care system at risk of 'breaking down completely'
It comes as statistics published this week showed a majority of elderly Scots who took part in a national survey reported unmet needs in social care, with the disabled, poor and those cared for by relatives, most at risk. A total of 48,876 adults aged 65 and over responded to the Scottish Government's health and care experience survey for 2023-24. More than 10,000 said they needed some kind of care, support and help with everyday living. Analysis of the survey revealed that 22% of pensioners reported that they needed or received support over the past 12 months, while 9% of adults reported unmet needs. Of those who said they needed or received support, 43% flagged unmet support needs. The scale of unmet needs soared for disabled adults - 17% compared to 2% of those without a disability. Read more: The survey also revealed the stark issues facing disabled pensioners, with 35% warning they did not receive help that met their needs. Meanwhile, those receiving unfunded support - family care - were more likely to report an unmet need - 42%, compared to 32% receiving state-funded support. Older adults living in the most deprived quintile (SIMD1) were more likely to report experiencing an unmet need (16%), compared with 6% of their more affluent peers. Adam Stachura, director of policy at Age Scotland, told The Herald: 'The result of this survey go to the heart of some of the worst failings in the care system. 'An alarming number of over-65s with care requirements are unable to get any of the support they need and many more are struggling to get by with too little care. 'The effect on older people of not getting the care they need can be catastrophic. Many older respondents, and especially those with disabilities, reported being limited in what daily activities they could do. "Lack of support can also prevent older people maintaining connections among friends, family and in their communities, fuelling the loneliness epidemic affecting older people. 'Interestingly, the survey shows that those who needed support but did not receive any includes older people in both rural and urban settings across the country, which highlights that the shortcomings are a national problem in need of urgent reform. Read more: 'We have called before for the Scottish Government to work with local authorities to fix the social care system. Figures like these should act as a reminder that inaction, and the continued failure to invest and reform, will in effect allow the care system to break down completely, causing untold misery for hundreds of thousands of older people.' The Scottish Government has accepted that the social care system needs "fundamental reform," but said the Care Reform (Scotland) Bill, if passed in Holyrood, would achieve this aim. The plans to reform care services costs the Scottish Government around £1 million per month despite dropping plans to set up a national care service. The Bill proposes a raft of changes to care services, including improving the rights of care home residents to visits. A Scottish Government spokesman said: 'The health and social care system in Scotland needs fundamental reform and this report supports that. 'We are taking key steps towards delivering that through the Care Reform (Scotland) Bill. If passed by Parliament, it will help improve people's lives and quality of care, while ensuring those who deliver vital services feel supported. 'The UK Government must also play its part in helping us deliver sustainable change by reversing increases to Employment National Insurance Contributions (ENICs) and their plans to end international recruitment – both of which will be devastating for the care sector.'
Daily Record
7 days ago
- Business
- Daily Record
Falkirk Council deliver final 'meals on wheels' as service axed in cost-cutting measures
The service was used by just seven people and alternatives will be found for the vulnerable people who depend on it. Falkirk Council will deliver its final 'meal on wheels' this month, when the service stops for good. The service - which delivers hot meals to people who have difficulty shopping or preparing meals - currently, provides 19 meals to seven individuals each week. But that will come to an end on Friday, June 27, after Falkirk Health and Social Care Partnership's board took the decision to end the service as part of cost-cutting measures to address a budget shortfall of £21 million over the next three years. The reduction to this service budget every year is £71,880. The partnership says it is working with the people who are affected by the decision and home visits have been arranged with Care and Support at Home staff to discuss alternatives ahead of the service being withdrawn. A spokesperson for Falkirk Health and Social Care Partnership said: 'As part of our annual budget setting process, a proposal was approved to provide meals in a different way and achieve an overall recurring saving. "We are supporting individuals to access the alternative choices available to them, which include meal delivery services, community lunch clubs, supermarket delivery services, and household support from local organisations. 'In some cases, individuals can also access hot meals through support from their existing social care provider. We are working with providers and individuals to review their needs and amend care packages if required. 'The decision to move from internal provision of this support was made by our Board during the 2025 budget setting process, which asked all areas of the Partnership to consider how they may reduce costs, do things differently, and contribute to the overall financial sustainability of local health and social care services. 'As identified through our consultation process and equality impact assessment, alternative support is available within the community, allowing this limited internal service to be safely withdrawn.' The cut was part of a recent consultation that involved local people giving their opinions on how the partnership could make the necessary savings. According to Falkirk Council's equality and poverty impact assessment: "Overall, while some respondents acknowledged potential cost savings and the availability of alternative meal options, there was a strong sentiment that any changes to the service must ensure that vulnerable individuals continue to receive nutritious meals and necessary support. "There is a call for integrated community-based services and ensuring that any new provider maintains the standard and quality of meals." The charity for older people, Age Scotland, said Meals on Wheels provides a 'lifeline' to older people. Policy Director, Adam Stachura, said: 'It's concerning to see services like Meals on Wheels set to lose their funding. "We know local authorities are facing impossible decisions at the moment, but this will have a significant impact on the individuals who relied on this service. 'Meals on Wheels is often a lifeline to older people, offering support to those at risk of malnutrition and loneliness who may not be able to cook for themselves and do not have anywhere else to turn. "It is vital that the council works with those affected in order to consider alternatives and protect their access to food.'
Times
12-05-2025
- Politics
- Times
Power of attorney applications system beset by year-long delay
Tens of thousands of people in Scotland seeking legal authority to make decisions on someone else's behalf are being left in limbo by an outdated system that the public servant overseeing it has declared is 'no longer fit for purpose'. There are 67,500 power of attorney applications waiting to be processed, with a backlog that is taking nearly a year to deal with. Applications are dealt with by the Office of the Public Guardian (OPG), which is a department of the the Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service (SCTS). According to the OPG website, it is still dealing with applications from last May and June. Adam Stachura, spokesman for Age Scotland, described the scale of this backlog as 'jaw-dropping'. He added: 'Power of attorney is
