Meeting of the Parliament (Hybrid) 09 March 2022
I thank Jackie Baillie for bringing this important debate to Parliament, and I thank Natasha Hamilton for her petition in honour of her mother, Anne Duke, which highlighted the social isolation that Covid restrictions caused in Scotland’s care homes.
As we have heard, the proposed Anne’s law would recognise that families and friends play an essential role in the health and wellbeing of people in care homes. One of the saddest parts of the pandemic has been the enormous sacrifices that many people have made to keep others safe. Restrictions in care homes were particularly difficult, and cut residents off from family and friends.
To tackle such isolation, the Scottish Government invested £1.5 million in an initiative to connect residents in Scotland’s care homes. The initiative was launched in November 2020 and aimed to equip all care homes in Scotland with digital devices, connectivity, training and support in order to tackle social isolation and to help residents to enjoy the benefits of online access.
However, for many people, the transition to digital communication was difficult, even when the technology worked well. Some respondents to the consultation noted that their loved ones became more withdrawn and despondent, despite daily video calls. Therefore, I welcome the evaluation of the initiative that the University of Stirling is undertaking in collaboration with the Scottish Government’s technology-enabled care programme and the Digital Health and Care Innovation Centre. Dr Grant Gibson, who is the project’s leader and an expert in dementia care said:
“it is likely that at least some elements of the switch to greater use of digital platforms to support social interaction among care home residents will become permanent. Therefore, there is a clear need to evaluate whether the programme was successful, and to learn the wider lessons ... to inform wider initiatives supporting digital connectedness and inclusion of care home residents in the future.”
I am sure that all members in the chamber look forward to delivery of the SNP’s manifesto commitment to
“strengthen residents’ rights in adult residential settings.”
The Scottish Government will introduce Anne’s law in Parliament as soon as possible, but it is also taking immediate action to ensure that care home residents and their families can benefit from the proposed law’s aims and principles now. That includes working with the Care Inspectorate to update and strengthen its health and care standards, with a strong emphasis on helping residents and their families to remain connected.
The Scottish Government is also introducing new statutory standards under the Public Services Reform (Scotland) Act 2010 to help to ensure that visitors can be involved in the care and support of their loved ones. I thank the Minister for Mental Wellbeing and Social Care for his understanding and on-going hard work to ensure that Anne’s law is brought to Parliament, while considering the sensitivities of more than 400 consultation respondents.
The overwhelming heartache that was felt by Natasha Hamilton and by many other families across Scotland during lockdown is something that we will remember for many years, with heavy hearts.
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