Latest news with #PatTogher
Glasgow Times
4 days ago
- Health
- Glasgow Times
Inspections at 7 Glasgow homeless hotels find 'defects'
Environmental health inspections at a number of hotels and B&Bs used for homeless people in Glasgow have led to 'defects and issues' being identified. Last year, the Glasgow Times launched the End the Homeless Hotel Shame campaign to highlight the conditions people were enduring when in need of accommodation. One of the asks of the campaign was for the council to carry out an inspection regime to ensure owners, who are paid millions of pounds a year, comply with decent standards. In the last year, from April 2024 to March 2025, the council paid more than £45 million to private hotels and B&B owners in the city. The campaign heard firsthand from people who lived in the hotels and they reported dirty conditions with stained mattresses and bedding, rats and mice and drug taking and violence going unchecked. The council has revealed it started an inspection programme in November last year and has carried out 18 visits on seven properties up until April this year. Inspections undertaken focused on: Management of Legionella; Asbestos Management Plans; Health & Safety; Management of Hazardous substances; Inspection Checklists; Cleanliness; Pest control; Management of Falls from Height; Window Restrictors etc. Pat Togher, chief officer, Glasgow City Health and Social Care Partnership, has revealed the inspections in a report to councillors. He said: 'A summary of the seven inspections noted a number of defects and or issues that have been identified by Environmental Services staff. 'The defects and or issues were not uniformly identified across all the sites. Each site inspected, demonstrated varying degrees of compliance and understanding of requirements and legislation. 'In response to the inspections and continued dialogue with the HSCP the management of the hotels and bed & breakfast have all responded positively and constructively to the inspection reports and subsequent recommendations. 'This has resulted in no enforcement notices being served on the owners of the establishments with all owners welcoming and embracing the recommendations. 'They have reacted quickly to address any issues highlighted to them following the Inspections.' He added: 'There is now a greater understanding of what is required with regards to the management of health and safety within the hotels and bed & breakfast sites. Consequently, HSCP staff are now also better equipped to understand key areas to note when visiting establishments and engaging with hotel and bed & breakfast managers.'
Glasgow Times
22-05-2025
- Business
- Glasgow Times
'Deeply unhelpful': Immigration policy impacts on care staff
The Council's City Administration Committee was meeting to discuss an uplift in pay for social care staff and the challenges of securing and holding onto staff was raised. Chris Cunningham, Convenor for Health, Care and Caring and Older People, highlighted the issues that affect staffing. READ NEXT: ' We're not finished yet': Campaigners welcome community centre reprieve He said: 'There are two issues on staff retention. First and most challenging is pay. If pay is not competitive, there are clearly issues. 'The second is terms and conditions, the environment in which staff operate.' He hinted towards the Prime Minister's recent speech and immigration white paper designed to reduce net migration, which has caused controversy He added:'Clearly, staffing issues in this area as well are significant in terms of recruitment from overseas and have been the case since Brexit. 'It is disappointing to see the trend and actions relating to immigration in recent years and far more recently. 'It is deeply unhelpful when there are people who wish to work in the UK and we require their skills.' The meeting heard that funding of £138.1m has been made available for local councils for an increase of the minimum hourly rate for workers providing direct social care, within commissioned services and those funded from Direct Payments, from at least £12.00 to £12.60 per hour from April 2025. READ NEXT: 'Significant disruption' to city centre buses for a year and a half The council proposed to again increase Social Care providers in Glasgow Purchased Services by a 5% uplift in line with typical full workforce costs for Social Care. Pat Togher, HSCP chief officer, also said there was an issue with staff retention. He said: 'The HSCP wants to minimise the attrition rate in the organisation.' He said the HSCP has around 17,000 staff and the attrition rate occurs 'more often than not in areas of lower pay, in care homes and care home providers.' Mr Togher added: We are working very hard on this.'
Glasgow Times
14-05-2025
- Health
- Glasgow Times
Health board failed when it shut special homeless GP service
The Independent National Whistleblower Officer upheld a number of complaints over the closure of the specialist GP service. The practice at Hunter Street closed in March 2023 after a review of services and a move to a 'single inter-disciplinary team'. READ NEXT:Migrants are NOT given houses ahead of local people says council deputy leader At the point of closure, the practice had 167 registered patients and dealt with a larger number of patients on a temporary basis, with annual patient contacts at approximately 600. The complaints, by a whistleblower, claimed the Health and Social Care Partnership 'failed to follow a meaningful process of engagement and consultation with staff'. It was also claimed there was no 'meaningful stakeholder consultation prior to the decision to reduce specialist GP service provision for people experiencing homelessness'. Both were upheld by the Whistleblower Office. The HSCP also failed to carry out a full risk assessment and equalities impact before it took the decision to reduce the service. And it failed to' take action to address the long-term risks associated with closing the service. The INWO issued a number of recommendations to the HSCP to put in place. The HSCP must ensure the principles in their Participation and Engagement Strategy are being met in practice. READ NEXT: MP tells how he served children food at homeless shelter in Glasgow It is also told to be aware of their responsibilities under the Equalities Act 2010 and the need to complete timely equalities impact assessments. At a meeting of the Integration Joint Board, which governs the HSCP today chief Officer Pat Togher said they accepted the recommendations A spokesperson for the Glasgow City Health and Social Care Partnership, said: 'We note the findings of this report and as a continuous learning and improving organisation will take time to consider the recommendations. "In terms of our current homelessness provision, we have in place well-established governance arrangements and continue to develop services for those impacted by homelessness despite increased demand and a challenging financial climate."
