Number of people waiting for social care assessments in Moray skyrockets
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The number of vulnerable people waiting for a social care assessment in Moray has sky-rocketed over the course of 18 months.
The waiting list for those in need of an evaluation was just four in March 2020.
But by last October it had grown to 131.
The issue was highlighted at Moray Council yesterday, where one councillor labelled it a "dirty secret".
A social care assessment is carried out to establish what help and support people need, such as healthcare, equipment, help in their own homes or residential care.
Councillor George Alexander (Forres, Independent) said: "I know there’s a desperate shortage of staff.
"What happens if we have someone hasn’t been assessed, and their partner has to continue their care at home?
"There are also cases where people have been assessed but we can’t provide the service.
"The partner is forced to put them into a care home – and that has all sorts of financial implications.
"People will be coping day-by-day, year-by-year, and it’s massively stressful.
"This is a huge problem but it is being kept a dirty secret."
Shona Morrison, the council's convenor (Fochabers/Lhanbryde, SNP) stated that the National Care Service, which is being established by the Scottish Government, aims to deal with the issues.
She added discussions around that were taking place at pace.
Roddy Burns, the council's chief executive, added that an action plan was also being implemented in Moray to deal with problems at a more local level.
This plan includes a focus on recruitment, additional support for those working in home care and a more structured system of management support for social workers.
Cllr Frank Brown (Elgin North, Conservative) said: "The action plan is going to help but it will take time to bed in.
"The National Care Service isn’t going to fix anything soon, and to think it will come running down the road next year is cloud cuckoo land."
A question was asked about how many people had taken part in a transfer scheme to help fill the workforce gaps in the care at home service.
In reply, Jane Mackie, Moray's chief social worker, confirmed only one had been prepared to take on a trial.
Ms Mackie added: "This says to me how valuable the people who do personal care are.
"We wrote to every home carer who left in the last two years, but very few said they wanted to return.
"There is also an ageing issue here.
"We have to make this attractive employment for younger people."
A long running job advert has been posted on the Myjobscotland website.
