Councillors have likened the success of a pilot programme, which offers care and support to people in their own homes, to a television makeover show.
Last year, Aberdeenshire Council’s social work team carried out a trial scheme in which a professional occupational therapist would be on duty at the authority’s call centre to prioritise referrals.
Previously, calls about occupational therapy were simply handled by staff at the call centre who passed them on to the social work service.
But, as a result of having a dedicated therapist on duty at the centre, 77% of all occupational therapy requests have been assessed within three days since January.
The occupational therapy service works with people recently out of hospital to help them live independently at home as well as offering advice on a range of care issues.
Speaking at yesterday’s social work committee meeting, councillor Linda Clark said: “To be able to come up with this is phenomenal.”
Councillor Karen Clark said: “People are so much happier about the service they get – it’s actually phenomenal the progress that has been made.
And councillor Patricia Oddie added: “Constituents had complained about time delays in occupational therapy and this is such a turn around – it’s like one of those quick television transformations.”
