Our exclusive reports have revealed that complaints of abuse against the elderly are on the rise and that councils are increasingly being forced to place elderly people on at-risk registers.

Below, key public figures give their views on The Herald’s campaign below.

 

Alan Miller, Scotland’s Human Rights Commissioner

 

“We recently held 18 public meetings from Dumfries to Lerwick and Aberdeen and dignity for the elderly was the No1 concern for people across the whole of Scotland.

“As part of this we have decided to bring together all those involved in public procurement to see how to ensure the right to dignity and quality of care for older people is part of that process. The current emphasis is on value for money but as The Herald has revealed this week, that can drive down standards and continue abuses.

“We are getting everyone around the table to see what needs to be done but it may require an EU directive or change in guidance from the UK or Scottish Government.

“Suing over human rights has been associated with prisoners, but in the context of the care setting if you have an older person who cannot reach their food or has insufficient food provided, suffers a lack of hygiene and is given inappropriate medication, this can amount to inhuman and degrading treatment and no budget cuts can justify it.

“What The Herald has brought out may be the tip of the iceberg. This is something which seems to affect so many people and resonates with everyone.”

 

Andrew Jackson, WRVS in Scotland

 

“The Herald, in highlighting some of the problems thrown up by the way care services operate, has done Scotland’s older people a great service.

“WRVS is a charity whose thousands of volunteers work extensively with older people across Scotland to make sure they can live the lives they want, as independently as possible, in their own communities. Supporting older people to take care of everyday tasks and enjoy vibrant social lives is as important as ensurin their access to quality healthcare.

“There is now plenty of evidence that preventative services -- so called because they prevent people from needing intensive and expensive support until later in their lives -- are, alongside the right support for unpaid carers, a key component in any intelligent approach to running a care system.

“The Herald has reminded us that, as a nation, we must all think much more creatively about the kind of things we need to do to ensure that Scotland is truly a great place to grow old.”

 

 

Johann Lamont Scottish Labour Deputy Leader

 

“This week’s series on elderly care in The Herald has been an example of journalism at its best. It should make all of us stop and think when elderly patients are denied food or water.

“I was shocked to learn that there were some 275 abuse and neglect complaints against care homes for elderly people.

“There were also 73 complaints relating to abuse and neglect against ‘care at home’ services.

“It is likely that hundreds more cases are going unreported and we need immediate action from all levels of government.

“There can hardly be a family in Scotland that has not had to confront these issues at some point in their lives. The right to be treated with dignity and respect does not diminish as we grow older.

“Put simply, we do not have the right to call ourselves a civilised society if we cannot care for our elderly.”

 

David Manion, Chief Executive of Age Concern and Help the Aged Scotland

 

“We need to raise the profile of the issue and ensure that communities and neighbours and social networks are keeping an eye on people to ensure abuse does not take place. Care at home is definitely the right way to go but we need to ensure sufficient safeguards are in place.

“Harming older people is an extreme of ageism. If we had a more positive attitude to older people in general we would see a reduction in such abuse.

“We very much welcome The Herald’s campaign because it is raising the profile of an issue that Scottish society needs to be concerned about.”

 

Dr Jean Turner, Patients’ Association Scotland

 

“Many older people are often dying a slow death without the proper level of care. Too often respect and dignity are not being met.

“Private companies who provide the lowest tender should not be the choice of government -- you are not going to get the best service by choosing the cheapest.

“Care assistants have a role but a qualified nurse should always be leading the care. Nurses know better how to react to medical situations and when best to alert doctors at a critical time.

“When you dilute the service and substitute nurses with care assistants that is when standards fall.

“What’s highlighted is that care must be appropriate, but it must also be appropriately funded.

“The fact remains that if the government does fund care properly, in the long run we will benefit by saving money in hospitals and reactive care.

 

Stephen Smellie, Chair of Unison Scotland’s social work issues group

 

“The care of Scotland’s older people is one indicator of how civilised our society is.

The problems highlighted by The Herald are an indication that something is significantly wrong with the way that care is delivered.

Pressures for outsourcing and privatisation all too often mean services are pushed out to tender and contracts granted -- not on the basis of the quality of care, but purely on cheapness. This is not the best value of care for our older people, but risks the kind of treatment being reported.

“Even when the service is kept in-house, cost pressures often mean cuts in time to visit and look after clients. When services are provided under contract, voluntary providers are often told to provide services on less than the in-house service would receive.

“When you then factor in the private sector’s need to make a profit, the kind of problems that have been highlighted are put into context.”

 

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