Dignity and respect in old age
20/07/2007
Like anyone else, I was appalled to read of the cases of neglect and mistreatment of older people in care homes highlighted by The Scotsman earlier this week.
The fact that these cases still have the power to shock us demonstrates that they are, thankfully, not commonplace - but its still not good enough that they happen at all.
As Scotland's first-ever Minister for Public Health, I am determined to prevent the unacceptable mistreatment of older people in care homes. The need to improve standards in care homes lies at the heart of this issue.
We have in place the National Care Standards, which set out clearly the standard of care people can expect to receive in care homes across Scotland. We will be developing a campaign to raise awareness of the standards to ensure service users and their relatives know what they can expect from a care home.
These standards are underpinned by a robust system of regulation. The Care Commission inspects every care home at least twice a year. During those inspections, care homes need to demonstrate how they are complying with the legislation and meeting the requirements of the National Care Standards. Anyone with concerns about any aspect of the care that residents are receiving can raise these with the Care Commission, who will investigate. The Commission has a wide range of enforcement powers at its disposal if care homes don't meet these expectations and I expect the Commission to use them when appropriate.
We are already driving up care home standards, working with CoSLA and Scottish Care, by linking care home fees to improvements in quality. We have put in place several pre conditions that care homes must meet. From October, all care homes must demonstrate that 40% of non nursing staff have achieved SVQ II or above and a further 10% of these staff are working towards these qualifications. Failure to meet these pre conditions by 30 September this year will result in a reduction of £18.13 in the weekly fee for each local authority funded client.
Linked to this is the need to make long term improvements in staff training levels. By April 2009, all care home workers will have been invited to register with the Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC). Also, as part of its UK wide sector skills work, the SSSC is working with key partners to develop a Sector Skills Agreement - essentially a development plan that will address the long term and future skills and training requirements of the sector.
More generally, we recognise that there is a need to have a focal point for all issues relating to the care of older people. That is why I am the lead Minister with responsibility for older people's services.
That's also why all aspects of policy for older people have now been brought together under the Health and Wellbeing portfolio created by the new Scottish government.
I firmly believe that this will lead to a more streamlined, joined up approach which will bring about real improvements.
We have already announced that we will increase free personal and nursing care payments in line with inflation from April next year. We are reopening discussions with DWP about the issue of Attendance Allowance money - £30m a year - which was lost to Scotland when free personal care was introduced. And we have invited Lord Sutherland to chair an independent review into the level and distribution of funding for free personal care.
But this is not just about money. It is about effecting a broader cultural change in Scotland, so that older people are valued members of society and caring for older people is seen as a worthwhile profession.
Over the coming months, I will be working in partnership with organisations representing the care home sector and older people to listen to their concerns. I will use this to inform future policy direction.
Old age isn't something that happens to someone else. We all expect a dignified and fulfilling old age, and today's older people have the right to expect this too.
I am determined to make sure that this happens.