A Scottish government audit into local authority day and respite services has revealed fewer than two thirds are fully operational, with workforce challenges and pandemic restrictions seen as the biggest barriers to services returning to pre-covid-19 levels.

At the time of response, only 48.7% of day services run or commissioned by either health and social care partnerships (HSCPs) or local authorities were fully open, with a further 38.4% operating at reduced capacity.

More than one in ten of both day services and respite services (11.8% and 14.1% respectively) remained closed.

In a letter sent to local authorities and HSCPs the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care, Humza Yousaf, said it is ‘essential that these services return to full capacity as possible.’

An audit of adult day and respite services across Scotland’s local authorities was announced in May, amid concerns that vital services remain closed after they were suspended at the beginning of the pandemic.

An analysis of the responses estimates that current day services capacity is at 61.8% compared to pre-covid levels.

This is despite Scottish government guidance published in August 2020 that requested building-based day services return to pre-pandemic capacity wherever possible.

A survey of more than 8,000 carers last October revealed more than 70% continued to face closed or reduced day services, with half concerned that this critical support would soon be reduced even more in the face of funding cuts.

The Fraser of Allander Institute also reported in October that none of the unpaid carers of adults with learning disabilities they had spoken to had seen their support return to pre-pandemic levels.

Many respondents said the people they care for had lost important progress in their goals of independence and their mental and physical health had been harmed as a result.

A summary of the findings of the HSCPs survey, included in Mr Yousaf’s letter, cited covid-19 restrictions as a root cause for the reduced capacity, both directly and as a result of the impacts on transport.

Challenges in recruitment and retention were also cited as significant factors that has forced services to remain closed, according to the letter.

Some of the 26 HSCPs that responded to the survey said they were currently undertaking risk assessments, with a view to increasing capacity.

Online or digital support provision has also been provided to supplement in-person support, according to some HSCPs, which has not been included in the count.

The survey will be repeated in November 2022 to establish how much progress has been made towards increasing capacity since the publication of updated guidance.

 

Read more: Scotland’s first complex needs college opens; Carers Week: record caring under pressure; Joint call for continued flexibility in SDS budgets

 

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