An ageing population combined with collapsing numbers of staff has created the “perfect storm” for social care in Aberdeen, it has been claimed.
By 2037, health and social care chiefs in the city predict that the number of over 65s in Aberdeen will have risen by almost 56%, while the number of over 75s is projected to grow by around 70%.
Over the past five years, meanwhile, there has been a 32% nationwide drop in the numbers of social workers.
More recently there has been uncertainty over the pool of European labour that helps to staff much of the sector in the face of Brexit.
And there is also an ageing social care staff to contend with, as 62% of workers in the city are over 40-years-old.
In an effort to address some of these issues, a new three-year staffing strategy will be launched by the Aberdeen Health and Social Care Partnership (AHSCP) – if approved by its integration joint board (IJB) on Wednesday.
As well as increasing the use of digital services like email and video-links, the partnership will also aim to hire new staff for specialist roles and retrain staff to tackle any shortfall.
IJB member Faith Robertson- Hoy, who works full-time and is an unpaid carer for her father Robert, said she predicted the ageing population would leave more people in her situation.
>> Keep up to date with the latest news with The P&J newsletter
She said: “I’m really happy with some of the ideas and if the likes of the new technology does anything that can help then that is only a benefit.
“But I still think it is really important that actual physical carers are kept as much as possible.
“It can be vital for cared-for people to see a friendly face and get help with their problems directly.
“I myself am an unpaid carer and since we have an aging population I think there will absolutely be more in the future.”
Conservative north-east MSP Tom Mason said: “The combination of an ageing population and chronic staff shortages amount to a perfect storm for social care.
“It is a challenge that public agencies and politicians at all levels of government must be alive to.
“I welcome the work that the Aberdeen City Health and Social Care Partnership is doing to address these issues.”
He said the north-east needed more funding from the Scottish Government to help councils tackle the problem.
