A Freedom of Information request shows that 28 Scottish
councils commission such short visits.
UNISON wants the UK and Scottish governments to ban 15
minute care slots and is urging councils to sign up to the union’s
Ethical Home Care Charter.
Scottish Secretary Mike Kirby said: “Austerity cuts are
piling pressure onto an overstretched system but it is entirely wrong that in a
supposedly civilised society councils are commissioning 15 minute home care
appointments.
“Any member of the public can understand that 15 minutes is
not enough to provide even the most basic care, let alone to very frail
clients. People with dementia also find the rush of such short visits
particularly distressing.
“We want councils to sign up to our Ethical Home Care
Charter and to say that the time allocated to visits will be matched to the
needs of the clients. There should be an initial review of all visits under 30
minutes.
“UNISON believes that 15 minute visits exemplify a care on
the cheap system, when we should be providing quality public services which
ensure respect and dignity for the most vulnerable.”
ENDS
Notes to editors:
1. UNISON is Scotland’s largest trade
union representing 160,000 members working in the public sector in Scotland.
2. In the UK government’s own words, 15
minute home care appointments ‘risk stripping people of their dignity and jeopardising
their human rights.’
3. While three Scottish councils do not
commission 15 minute visits (Angus, Falkirk and Glasgow City Council), the
constraints of the contract price can still mean that is what happens in
practice. (The FOI requests to councils did not cover Highland, as the
integrated service comes under the health service.)
4. The UNISON Ethical
Social Care Charter is online at https://www.unison.org.uk/upload/sharepoint/Research%20Material/Final%20Ethical%20Care%20Charter%20PDF.pdf
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