The number of vulnerable people waiting for a social care assessment in Moray has skyrocketed.
From March 2020 to October 2021 the waiting list for those in need of an evaluation went up from four to 131.
The issue was highlighted in the chief social work officer’s report that went before a meeting of the full Moray Council today.
Independent councillor for Forres George Alexander said: “I know there’s a desperate shortage of staff, but what happens if we have someone needing an assessment but hasn’t been assessed, and their partner at home has to continue that care?
“There are cases where people have been assessed but we can’t provide the service, so the partner is forced to put them into a care home, and that has all sorts of financial implications.
“They 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.”
Chief executive Roddy Burns told the meeting an action plan to deal with problems at a more local level was being implemented.
The plan includes a focused recruitment strategy, additional support for those working in home care and more structured management support for social workers.
Council convener Shona Morrison said the establishment of the National Care Service aimed to deal with the issues relating to social care, and discussions around that were taking place at pace.
Conservative councillor for Elgin North Frank Brown 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.”
Number of people waiting for a care assessment has risen from four to 131
When asked how many people had taken part in a scheme to transfer staff from other settings to the care at home service to help fill the gap in the workforce, chief social worker Jane Mackie confirmed only one had been prepared to take on a trial.
Ms Mackie said: “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 and we have to make this attractive employment for younger people.”
A long running job advert has been posted on the Myjobscotland website.
