Residents say sad farewell to Falkirk Council staff as changes implemented in care complex
Residents said a sad farewell to care staff who had provided them with support over the years.
In a cost-cutting move, those living in Falkirk Council’s sheltered housing complex at Tygetshaugh Court in Dunipace, had their care packages changed.
There are no longer council employees providing the care to the elderly and vulnerable residents but it has been outsourced to private companies.
The proposal had been put forward this time last year by Falkirk Health and Social Care Partnership (HSCP) and agreed in June by the Integrated Joint Board (IJB), the body that oversees health and social care locally.
At the time it was said the move would save around £150,000 annually and help the financially stretched HSCP.
Initially, the cost-cutting changes were supposed to be implemented over the summer months but following the announcement and the resultant public outcry, the moves had stalled.
Since last summer there have been demonstrations, objections from trade unions, complaints from local councillors, a petition with more than 2000 signatures and lots of media coverage, as well as a community meeting – all of which made clear that residents and their families are deeply unhappy with the proposals.
But the IJB have now implemented the change with the last day that staff were providing care to residents on February 26 when the relatives of residents organised a farewell party to say thank you for all the care given over the years.
However, relatives say that there is still much uncertainty over the care of their loved ones with unanswered questions, including around the laundry facilities. This was a service previously provided by the council staff but it remains unclear who will be allowed to use the facilities given that many of the residents are physically unable to either get to the laundry room or use the new washing machine and tumble dryer installed.
One relative said: “Residents who have moved over to external provider attended a meeting to say that their laundry is not being done as it is not classed as care – this includes a person who is wheelchair-bound with no washing machine facilities in their flat.”
They added that while residents have been given a key to the bin story to get rid of their household waste, some are unable to physically get to the store or reach the lock.
The relative added: “Already within a week carers have not turned up or turned up late with one resident saying that they have had to tell them that it was too soon for their medication as they only had it a couple of hours ago when it's distinctly says four hourly.
"It’s an absolute mess but all we get told is that it’s teething problems.”
A complaint made to the Scottish Public Services Ombudsman is currently being considered but this could take up to one year to come up with a decision.
It centres around that “the consultation, appraisal and decision making process to remove in-house care staff and services from the housing with care complex at Tygetshaugh was unreasonable”.
The Ombudsman will look at whether it was reasonable not to specifically consult residents and families about the proposed changes; was the Equalities Impact Assessment which was provided to the IJB, to support their decision making, reasonable; and was the appraisal exercise which identified Tygetshaugh as the most suitable for the proposed changes reasonable.
A spokesperson for Falkirk Health and Social Care Partnership previously said: “We have engaged with tenants in receipt of a care package at Tygetshaugh to review their needs and discuss their transfer to their new provider.
“All feedback and complaints are considered through our formal processes. Anyone who feels their complaint is unresolved following this may refer the matter to the Scottish Public Services Ombudsman, which we will support to review our decision and processes in a fair and independent manner.”