CHARITIES and voluntary organisations supporting Scotland’s most vulnerable people are being forced to scale back services and find new ways of delivering essential help in response to fears about the spread of the coronavirus.
Many organisations, including HIV Scotland and Rape Crisis Scotland, confirmed that from next week some clinics and face-to-face support services would be cancelled with online and Skype alternatives provided. The Scottish Refugee Council is also cancelling appointments and directing people to telephone helplines instead.
The Glasgow City Mission, which runs the homeless Winter Night Shelter in the city’s east end, said it is aiming to continue to run until its planned closure at the end of the month.
But chief executive Charles Maasz said some health care teams and legal services had stopped offering support at the shelter over infection fears. Though he had been assured any homeless person presenting in need of isolation would be prioritised by housing services, he claimed the charity had worries for guests.
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He told the Sunday National: “Some of our concerns during the week have been centred around the wellbeing of those who present as homeless but who are also exhibiting signs of infection. The situation that nobody wants to see is that a person presents late at night but then cannot be accommodated by us due to risks of transference amongst the wider night shelter population.
“Also of concern has been the readiness of other front line support services to withdraw or scale-back engagement at the Shelter on the basis of health risks to staff.
“This, on one level is understandable, however it places additional burdens on those who will not so readily pull up the drawbridges and leave the marginalised out in the cold. Some health practitioners who visit our shelter were the first to stop coming, some of the legal services too.”
He also raised concerns about plans to reduce day centre services, currently understood to be under discussion, and a reduction in volunteer numbers. But he added: “We are actively discouraging any form of potentially harmful heroism and urge best practice for the sake of all vulnerable groups, but we also believe that we can maintain our services.”
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Other voluntary organisations said they will be faced with stark dilemmas as they try to weigh-up the risks of cancelling services against those of pushing ahead. Dawn Anderson, deputy director of Edinburgh’s Pilton Community Health Project (PCHP), which offers community support groups and a “community shelf” of essentials, said the charity was struggling to make the right call.
“Local people have described PCHP as a lifeline,” she said. “Our workers, volunteers and partners care passionately about getting this right in our community and much of this work is traditionally face-to-face.
“But amongst local people, workers, and volunteers there are people with underlying conditions, who are at even greater risk of serious illness and death if this virus spreads. We know now there are ways to reduce the risk of the virus spreading, and we are forced to balance our continual drive to fight loneliness, social isolation and the other health inequalities people are living with, including food insecurity, to slow down the spread of the virus in our community.”
Richard Donald, deputy chief executive of Glasgow’s Golden Generation, stressed that it intends to keep its three day centres for older people open. “But we’ve got plans in place if the situation arises that we need to close them,” he said. “Can we get out to visit people at home and keep them company?
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‘‘Can we at least make phone calls? Of course there are so many questions just now that it feels frustrating. But we will find ways of supporting our older adults.”
Brenna Jessie (above), of Rape Crisis Scotland, confirmed some services would be affected.
She added: “Centres across Scotland are working hard to continue with support and are operating flexibly to offer support through video calls or by phone for those who are either self-isolating or fearful of travel.
“Though absolutely the right thing to do, the impact of increased isolation on all of our mental health – but especially for those processing trauma – has to be taken seriously. Our helpline will continue to be open from 6pm – midnight every night on 08088 01 03 02.”
Anna Fowlie, chief executive of the Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations (SCVO), said: “We are urging our members and the wider voluntary sector in Scotland to take care of the health of their staff, volunteers and beneficiaries by following official advice.
“Guidance will change over time so the key is to stay up-to-date with that whilst also reviewing the specific risks that Covid-19 poses to organisations and services. Charities should aim to understand and mitigate risks,” she added.
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