Vital day care and short-break respite services have been given the go-ahead to reopen in Scotland “where it is safe to do so”.

Health Secretary Jeane Freeman and Children & Young People’s Minister Maree Todd say they are “acutely aware” of the value of these services which were forced to close due to covid and acknowledge the “frustration” felt by families.

However they say adult day centres and respite services for children and adults can now start to re-open and offer support where virus control measures are in place.

The letter was sent to Health & Social Care Partnerships across Scotland, as well as Chief Social Workers, NHS Directors of Public Health and the Coalition of Care & Support Providers in Scotland.

Some people with the most urgent needs have been receiving support from adult day centres and residential respite services, but most have been closed since the start of the pandemic.

New guidance setting out more detail is promised in late August but the letter says both sets of services can reopen in the meantime with agreement from local NHS Health Protection Teams and the Care Inspectorate.

It states: ‘We are acutely aware of the value of these types of support to individuals with support needs and their unpaid carers, and the frustration many people have felt while many building-based services have remained closed.

‘It is important to ensure people have access to day care and respite support in all forms, including some building-based services, where it is safe to do so.’

Services are asked to follow a list of different sources of guidance set out in the letter.

Adult day centres are asked to maintain enhanced hand washing and cleaning measures, limit contacts both indoors and outdoors and maximise the use of outdoor spaces.

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