Our Caring City: Health and Social Care

My colleague Ricky Henderson, has drafted a short piece on 'Our Children: Education and Families', which is over on the Edinburgh Labour website --- I'll reproduce the text below, for those interested:

For the last five years, as part of the Capital Coalition, Labour has taken the lead in health and social care services for the city - our current Convener of Health and Social Care, Councillor Ricky Henderson, outlines our priorities for health and social care services:

More and more people are now living into their 80s and 90s which is a fact to be celebrated. Older people now make more of a contribution to communities and families than ever before.

However, many people are also living longer with multiple health conditions sometimes requiring more support to continue living as independently as possible.

More young people with long term disabilities are now able to live much longer too but also needing extra support as they grow older.

With the need for care services increasing and budgets reducing the challenges are fairly obvious.

Edinburgh Labour will highlight the shortfall in resources and demand that the SNP Government uses the powers it has to fully meet its responsibilities and provide the increased resources people need.

In the next Council, we will -

• Take steps to increase the length and flexibility of care visits and increase the availability of care, to help people live in their own homes for as long as possible.

• Increase budgets for adaptations in homes, such as showers and ramps, to aid independent living.

• Expand respite time and facilities for family and friend carers to safeguard their own health and wellbeing.

• Insist that voluntary and private organisations which work with us pay the living wage and provide staff with proper training and conditions to ensure good quality care.

• Work towards making our city ‘barrier free’ by improving accessibility to buildings, and making streets and pavements suitable for people with disabilities.

• Improve access to health and care services by creating eight local health and community hubs where people can work on solutions to their needs with health and care professionals and voluntary groups.

Ricky Henderson

Health, Social Care & Housing Convenor

ricky.henderson@edinburgh.gov.uk