Chamber
Meeting of the Parliament 23 November 2011
23 Nov 2011 · S4 · Meeting of the Parliament
Item of business
Carers and Young Carers Strategy
I very much welcome the strategy and the strong statement of intent that it contains. It is clear from what the minister has said, and indeed from the increase in respite, the announcement on the change fund and today’s announcement on short breaks, that that intent is being backed up by action.
I have heard others across the chamber say that we are not there yet. I would point out that we are one year into a five-year strategy. I know that the Government is good, but if it were to achieve everything in a five-year strategy in the first year alone, it would be doing one hell of a job. The minister has quite rightly acknowledged that there are still challenges to be faced.
In my speech, I will focus on what is essentially a tale of two carers. Over the summer, thanks to the work of Lynn Williams of the Princess Royal Trust for Carers and Lucy Whiteman of VSA Aberdeenshire, I shadowed a carer for a day. I shadowed Stephanie Chalmers, who cares for her son Connor in Turriff in the north-east. Connor is 10, he has cerebral palsy and he requires 24/7 care. During the course of the day, I did what I could to help Stephanie, whether by pushing the wheelchair into the car, helping feed Connor his lunch or joining him in playing his Xbox, which is an interest that we share. The day drove home to me the strain that parent carers often feel and highlighted the fact that, sometimes, it is the little things that help to make a difference and assist people.
I will highlight two points today. I could highlight a myriad, but I will focus on a couple that we perhaps do not often consider.
The first point is that carers often have to locate support networks themselves because the NHS and local authorities do not readily highlight them to them. Such networks can be highly beneficial because people share their experiences and a camaraderie forms. We need to change our attitude and provide that information to carers, rather than leave them to seek it out on top of doing everything else.
The other point relates to something that is key for Stephanie and her husband and by which I was quite surprised. For Connor to go to the toilet they require a hoist, but the only disabled toilet in the north-east that has a hoist is in Union Square in Aberdeen. I wrote to the Government about that and am pleased that it is reviewing the building standards regulations to ensure that such facilities are more prevalent.
Little things like that make a big difference to carers, particularly their physical wellbeing. Although he is 10, Connor is a big boy. As he grows older, he will get bigger and it will become more difficult to do simple things such as take him to the toilet.
The second carer I will mention is my mother. I have said in previous debates that she was a carer. She cared for my grandmother, who suffered from dementia and passed away in early October. I saw at first hand the work that my mother did to care for my grandmother.
The two impacts of caring that have been brought home to me are the health impacts and the financial impacts.
If Connor does not sleep, Stephanie and her husband do not sleep; if my grandmother did not sleep, my mother did not sleep. We sometimes forget that caring is often a 24/7, 365-day-a-year role. No night shift comes in to let carers go away. Although respite care is crucial, it is only a part of the overall solution. We must ensure that we do everything possible to protect carers’ physical and emotional health and wellbeing because, if we do not, they will become tomorrow’s cared-for. I know that the minister and the Government are aware of the need to support carers in that way.
I touched on the financial impacts in my intervention on Richard Simpson. Bill Kidd touched on them as well. The carers allowance is, to be frank, a joke. In essence, it is blackmail, because the United Kingdom Government knows that carers will not give up caring for their relatives, because they do it for love and that will prevent them from downing tools no matter how hard it gets. It is almost as if it is saying that it knows that they will not give up, so there is no impetus for it to give them a better deal. That is shameful.
The Parliament should unite and say that enough is enough. It is time that the UK Government examined carefully the fundamental role that carers play and exactly what the impact on the health service and social care would be if they were to down tools.
At the moment, many people who care do not even qualify for the carers allowance. We spoke about young carers. If someone is in full-time education, they are excluded from claiming the carers allowance. If someone is in part-time education and their course lasts for more than 21 hours a week, it is classed as a full-time course. Therefore, young carers are, in effect, discouraged and dissuaded from going into further education if they want to be able to claim some kind of financial support once they turn 16. Before they turn 16, no financial support is available to them. We must change our mentality, because 100,000 young carers are doing without. We need to consider that situation carefully and reflect on how we can change it.
The other week, I attended the reception for Tommy on tour. Tommy Whitelaw, a carer, walked across Scotland collecting stories from carers who look after loved ones with dementia. I met him when he was in Aberdeen and my mum wrote to him to tell her story. At the reception, a DVD was shown in which carers told their stories of what it is like to care for a loved one with dementia. It was extremely moving and I encourage everyone to watch it. If anyone wants, I will gladly send them the link, because it makes for powerful viewing.
The Scottish Government has the right intention and the action to back it up is happening. I look forward to working with the Government over the next four years to ensure that the strategy is fully implemented.
15:34
I have heard others across the chamber say that we are not there yet. I would point out that we are one year into a five-year strategy. I know that the Government is good, but if it were to achieve everything in a five-year strategy in the first year alone, it would be doing one hell of a job. The minister has quite rightly acknowledged that there are still challenges to be faced.
In my speech, I will focus on what is essentially a tale of two carers. Over the summer, thanks to the work of Lynn Williams of the Princess Royal Trust for Carers and Lucy Whiteman of VSA Aberdeenshire, I shadowed a carer for a day. I shadowed Stephanie Chalmers, who cares for her son Connor in Turriff in the north-east. Connor is 10, he has cerebral palsy and he requires 24/7 care. During the course of the day, I did what I could to help Stephanie, whether by pushing the wheelchair into the car, helping feed Connor his lunch or joining him in playing his Xbox, which is an interest that we share. The day drove home to me the strain that parent carers often feel and highlighted the fact that, sometimes, it is the little things that help to make a difference and assist people.
I will highlight two points today. I could highlight a myriad, but I will focus on a couple that we perhaps do not often consider.
The first point is that carers often have to locate support networks themselves because the NHS and local authorities do not readily highlight them to them. Such networks can be highly beneficial because people share their experiences and a camaraderie forms. We need to change our attitude and provide that information to carers, rather than leave them to seek it out on top of doing everything else.
The other point relates to something that is key for Stephanie and her husband and by which I was quite surprised. For Connor to go to the toilet they require a hoist, but the only disabled toilet in the north-east that has a hoist is in Union Square in Aberdeen. I wrote to the Government about that and am pleased that it is reviewing the building standards regulations to ensure that such facilities are more prevalent.
Little things like that make a big difference to carers, particularly their physical wellbeing. Although he is 10, Connor is a big boy. As he grows older, he will get bigger and it will become more difficult to do simple things such as take him to the toilet.
The second carer I will mention is my mother. I have said in previous debates that she was a carer. She cared for my grandmother, who suffered from dementia and passed away in early October. I saw at first hand the work that my mother did to care for my grandmother.
The two impacts of caring that have been brought home to me are the health impacts and the financial impacts.
If Connor does not sleep, Stephanie and her husband do not sleep; if my grandmother did not sleep, my mother did not sleep. We sometimes forget that caring is often a 24/7, 365-day-a-year role. No night shift comes in to let carers go away. Although respite care is crucial, it is only a part of the overall solution. We must ensure that we do everything possible to protect carers’ physical and emotional health and wellbeing because, if we do not, they will become tomorrow’s cared-for. I know that the minister and the Government are aware of the need to support carers in that way.
I touched on the financial impacts in my intervention on Richard Simpson. Bill Kidd touched on them as well. The carers allowance is, to be frank, a joke. In essence, it is blackmail, because the United Kingdom Government knows that carers will not give up caring for their relatives, because they do it for love and that will prevent them from downing tools no matter how hard it gets. It is almost as if it is saying that it knows that they will not give up, so there is no impetus for it to give them a better deal. That is shameful.
The Parliament should unite and say that enough is enough. It is time that the UK Government examined carefully the fundamental role that carers play and exactly what the impact on the health service and social care would be if they were to down tools.
At the moment, many people who care do not even qualify for the carers allowance. We spoke about young carers. If someone is in full-time education, they are excluded from claiming the carers allowance. If someone is in part-time education and their course lasts for more than 21 hours a week, it is classed as a full-time course. Therefore, young carers are, in effect, discouraged and dissuaded from going into further education if they want to be able to claim some kind of financial support once they turn 16. Before they turn 16, no financial support is available to them. We must change our mentality, because 100,000 young carers are doing without. We need to consider that situation carefully and reflect on how we can change it.
The other week, I attended the reception for Tommy on tour. Tommy Whitelaw, a carer, walked across Scotland collecting stories from carers who look after loved ones with dementia. I met him when he was in Aberdeen and my mum wrote to him to tell her story. At the reception, a DVD was shown in which carers told their stories of what it is like to care for a loved one with dementia. It was extremely moving and I encourage everyone to watch it. If anyone wants, I will gladly send them the link, because it makes for powerful viewing.
The Scottish Government has the right intention and the action to back it up is happening. I look forward to working with the Government over the next four years to ensure that the strategy is fully implemented.
15:34
In the same item of business
The Presiding Officer (Tricia Marwick)
NPA
The next item of business is a debate on motion S4M-01399, in the name of Michael Matheson, on implementation of the carers and young carers strategy.14:33
The Minister for Public Health (Michael Matheson)
SNP
I open the debate by acknowledging the huge commitment and support that is provided by Scotland’s estimated 650,000 carers and up to 100,000 young carers. Un...
Dr Richard Simpson (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab)
Lab
I certainly do not doubt the minister’s intention, but how is the Government going to monitor the situation to ensure that that happens? It is what happens o...
Michael Matheson
SNP
We have 32 local delivery change plans in place. They must be signed off by the health board, the local authority and the third sector. When a bid is made fo...
The Presiding Officer
NPA
I call Richard Simpson to speak to and move amendment S4M-1399.3. Dr Simpson, you have 10 minutes. 14:48
Dr Richard Simpson (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab)
Lab
I welcome this opportunity to open and close this important debate. My colleague Claire Baker will talk in more detail about child and student carers, as wel...
Mark McDonald (North East Scotland) (SNP)
SNP
With regard to the financial impact, does Dr Simpson share my regret that the carers allowance remains such a pitiful sum, and excludes many carers—particula...
Dr Simpson
Lab
I agree with Mark McDonald on that, and I add that the Welfare Reform Bill will not help matters, because some carers will lose their allowance as people wil...
The Presiding Officer
NPA
The member needs to wind up.
Dr Simpson
Lab
We acknowledge the Government’s motion.I move amendment S4M-01399.3, to leave out from “agrees” to end and insert:“further acknowledges promises in successiv...
Nanette Milne (North East Scotland) (Con)
Con
In recognising the enormous contribution that carers and young carers make to society and to the Scottish economy through the considerable sums of money that...
Alison McInnes (North East Scotland) (LD)
LD
If we asked for a show of hands from members who are either carers or who know of someone close to them who is a carer, we would have an almost 100 per cent ...
James Dornan (Glasgow Cathcart) (SNP)
SNP
The minister made it clear in his speech just how much the Scottish Government recognises the debt that Scotland owes to its carers and the huge role that th...
Claire Baker (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab)
Lab
I welcome the opportunity to take part in this debate on carers. My family chose to be carers—they made a positive decision to take on the responsibility of ...
Bill Kidd (Glasgow Anniesland) (SNP)
SNP
First, I declare an interest as co-convener of the current cross-party group on carers, having been a deputy convener of the group in session 3 of the Parlia...
Mark McDonald (North East Scotland) (SNP)
SNP
I very much welcome the strategy and the strong statement of intent that it contains. It is clear from what the minister has said, and indeed from the increa...
Siobhan McMahon (Central Scotland) (Lab)
Lab
When I read the Government’s carers strategy, one passage immediately stood out:“Carers are ... fundamental to strong families and partnerships and to resili...
The Deputy Presiding Officer (John Scott)
Con
I suspend the meeting until the sound gets sorted out.15:35 Meeting suspended. 15:44 On resuming—
The Deputy Presiding Officer
Con
If members are sitting comfortably, we will begin again. I invite Siobhan McMahon to resume at an appropriate place in her speech; we will be generous with t...
Siobhan McMahon
Lab
Thank you, Presiding Officer. I apologise for breaking the system.A recurrent problem with Government strategies is the glaring contrast between the words on...
Linda Fabiani (East Kilbride) (SNP)
SNP
I am aware of X and I am glad that Siobhan McMahon has raised her case. Does the member agree that sometimes the intention to help people does not work out? ...
Siobhan McMahon
Lab
I could not agree more. Those problems will develop as we go forward in life, as challenges face us.Local authorities must view the provision of short breaks...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
Con
I am sorry about the interruption. I call Fiona McLeod, who will have a very tight six minutes. Others may have to reduce their speeches.15:50
Fiona McLeod (Strathkelvin and Bearsden) (SNP)
SNP
Last Friday, I was at the Carers Link East Dunbartonshire annual general meeting. In the past year, Carers Link East Dunbartonshire has identified and suppor...
Nigel Don (Angus North and Mearns) (SNP)
SNP
I would like to look at the issue in the context of the fact that my wife and I are now both carers for an extremely elderly relative. I acknowledge that our...
Margaret McCulloch (Central Scotland) (Lab)
Lab
I welcome this opportunity to speak in the debate on the Government’s strategy for carers, especially as carers’ rights day will take place on Friday 2 Decem...
The Deputy Presiding Officer (Elaine Smith)
Lab
The member must conclude, please.
Margaret McCulloch
Lab
—but they are all to be praised for the service that they give and the sacrifices that they make.
The Deputy Presiding Officer
Lab
I call George Adam, who has a maximum of six minutes.16:08
George Adam (Paisley) (SNP)
SNP
Thank you, Presiding Officer—I will try to be as succinct as possible in order to let other colleagues in. I see that members are laughing, but I promise tha...