Chamber
Plenary, 26 Jun 2003
26 Jun 2003 · S2 · Plenary
Item of business
Carers
We have heard three excellent speeches from members who have real experience of this subject, know what they are talking about and care about it. I want to underline a few of the points that they have made.
Carers are probably the most humbling people whom a politician meets. In politics and other activities, one's faith in human nature is often dashed. Collectively or individually, people can behave in an extraordinarily bad way. However, the amount of unsung, unrecognised and unselfish work that carers do is astonishing. Some families remind one of the book of Job—they have problems with parents, spouses, children, housing and everything else, but they deal with it all admirably. For that reason, it is salutary for us to discuss this issue.
Carers cover the whole age range. Since their problems were brought to my attention, I, like Irene Oldfather, have been a great enthusiast for young carers. The system does not recognise them adequately. Often, schools do not know why a child is absent or that they go to sleep in class because they have been looking after a relative all night. Carers also include very elderly people looking after their spouse, whose condition is worse than theirs.
Carers provide an amazing glue that holds our society together. We must invest more in them. We are all good at making speeches favourable to carers or other worthy groups, but we are not so good at providing money and delivering it in an intelligent way. We have to have well-identified investment.
First, we have to consider carers' identification. A lot of carers do not realise that they are carers. They are like the man in a Moliere play who suddenly realised that he had been speaking prose all his life and was absolutely astonished and delighted to discover it. Carers just accept caring as a family obligation; the idea that they are carers does not occur to them. We have to persuade them that they are carers and that it is our duty to help them to care better.
Information about what help is available is key. The whole benefits structure is created by intelligent bureaucrats who assume that everyone else reads the small print and knows about everything when in fact they do not. The systems are far too complicated and nobody knows about them, so they do not benefit. We have to identify the carers and then point them towards the facilities and support that are available.
Respite care is critical and needs specific investment. Perhaps some local authorities take carers for granted because they do not sing their own song loudly enough. Some people involved in trying to help carers do not take them seriously enough. That is why organisations such as the Princess Royal Trust for Carers are important. In our form of democracy, people get results by pushing their case collectively. The carers have a good case individually. They are excellent people who get on with the job and do not trumpet their problems enough. Organisations such as the trust are important in keeping us aware of problems so that we can respond to them.
Carers are probably the most humbling people whom a politician meets. In politics and other activities, one's faith in human nature is often dashed. Collectively or individually, people can behave in an extraordinarily bad way. However, the amount of unsung, unrecognised and unselfish work that carers do is astonishing. Some families remind one of the book of Job—they have problems with parents, spouses, children, housing and everything else, but they deal with it all admirably. For that reason, it is salutary for us to discuss this issue.
Carers cover the whole age range. Since their problems were brought to my attention, I, like Irene Oldfather, have been a great enthusiast for young carers. The system does not recognise them adequately. Often, schools do not know why a child is absent or that they go to sleep in class because they have been looking after a relative all night. Carers also include very elderly people looking after their spouse, whose condition is worse than theirs.
Carers provide an amazing glue that holds our society together. We must invest more in them. We are all good at making speeches favourable to carers or other worthy groups, but we are not so good at providing money and delivering it in an intelligent way. We have to have well-identified investment.
First, we have to consider carers' identification. A lot of carers do not realise that they are carers. They are like the man in a Moliere play who suddenly realised that he had been speaking prose all his life and was absolutely astonished and delighted to discover it. Carers just accept caring as a family obligation; the idea that they are carers does not occur to them. We have to persuade them that they are carers and that it is our duty to help them to care better.
Information about what help is available is key. The whole benefits structure is created by intelligent bureaucrats who assume that everyone else reads the small print and knows about everything when in fact they do not. The systems are far too complicated and nobody knows about them, so they do not benefit. We have to identify the carers and then point them towards the facilities and support that are available.
Respite care is critical and needs specific investment. Perhaps some local authorities take carers for granted because they do not sing their own song loudly enough. Some people involved in trying to help carers do not take them seriously enough. That is why organisations such as the Princess Royal Trust for Carers are important. In our form of democracy, people get results by pushing their case collectively. The carers have a good case individually. They are excellent people who get on with the job and do not trumpet their problems enough. Organisations such as the trust are important in keeping us aware of problems so that we can respond to them.
In the same item of business
The Deputy Presiding Officer (Trish Godman):
Lab
The final item of business is a members' business debate on motion S2M-110, in the name of Irene Oldfather, on valuing carers.
Motion debated,
That the Parliament recognises the hard work and dedication of Scotland's 115,675 unpaid carers, a workforce comparable to the total NHS workforce in Scotlan...
Irene Oldfather (Cunninghame South) (Lab):
Lab
I thank all the members who signed the motion and those colleagues who have stayed behind in this final meeting of Parliament before the summer recess. The m...
Ms Sandra White (Glasgow) (SNP):
SNP
I congratulate Irene Oldfather on securing the debate and on highlighting the fact that around 116,000 people in Scotland are unpaid carers—a fact of which m...
Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con):
Con
I am grateful to my ex-colleague on the Health and Community Care Committee, Irene Oldfather, for raising the issue of carers. She mentioned a lady whose son...
Donald Gorrie (Central Scotland) (LD):
LD
We have heard three excellent speeches from members who have real experience of this subject, know what they are talking about and care about it. I want to u...
Campbell Martin (West of Scotland) (SNP):
SNP
I am grateful to Irene Oldfather for securing the debate and allowing us all to make our contribution to the on-going debate about carers. Irene and I are bo...
Mrs Nanette Milne (North East Scotland) (Con):
Con
I apologise for not being in the chamber at the start of the debate, but I did not get the message about proceedings being ahead of schedule. My comments wil...
Irene Oldfather:
Lab
The figure of almost 116,000 refers to unpaid carers who undertake more than 50 hours a week of work, which is comparable to a job in the health service. The...
Mrs Milne:
Con
I thank the member for that clarification. I was going to seek an explanation. I wondered whether the different figures reflected the lack of accurate knowle...
John Swinburne (Central Scotland) (SSCUP):
SSCUP
It was not my intention to speak in the debate, but it has been a privilege to listen to the compassion that has come from members on all sides of the chambe...
The Deputy Minister for Health and Community Care (Mr Tom McCabe):
Lab
I thank Irene Oldfather and congratulate her on securing this debate. There has been a great deal of positive discussion on this issue, both here this evenin...
Meeting closed at 17:25.