Scottish Care warns of recruitment ‘crisis point’ as it sets out election manifesto
Care leaders are calling for more government funding to help boost carers’ wages as part of a manifesto detailing the needs of Scotland’s ageing population in advance of the Holyrood elections.
The head of Scottish Care, the umbrella body for Scotland’s independent social care services, warns the sector is reaching “crisis point” regarding staff recruitment and retention.
Extra funds for staff wages is one of the key demands in the organisation’s 10-point Agenda for Care manifesto calling for improvements in care for older people.
Other key demands include improving the allocation of resources for older people’s care and creating a level playing field between the independent care sector and council-run operations.
Scottish Care chief executive Donald Macaskill said: “We are facing the prospect of an ageing population with increasingly complex needs and, at the same time, are reaching crisis point in relation to the recruitment, retention and valuing of care staff as well as significant issues in relation to the funding and sustainability of care services.
“What’s more there are very real issues of ageism in how we view, value and fund older people’s care, compared with other care groups.
“Scotland’s population projections indicate that the number of people aged 75 and over will increase by 28% from 420,000 in 2012 to 530,000 in 2022 and then continue rising steadily until it reaches 780,000 in 2037 – an increase of 86% in just a quarter of a century – 360,000 more than today.
“Action is needed now to work out how we will cope and where the required resources to look after our older citizens will come from. Unless we do, an enormous demographic problem awaits us all.”
Dr Macaskill is chairing the Scottish Care hustings in Edinburgh later this month which Health Secretary Shona Robison is due to attend.
An audience of 50 representatives from the sector will be invited to quiz the main party representatives on their manifestos in relation to older people’s care.
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