Stretched to the limit Falkirk care services ask for help over festive season

Falkirk’s Care at Home Service is under pressure due to COVID-19-related absences and are asking for support of families and communities this Christmas.
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The organisation states pandemic related delays and significant demand for services is now present across the system – from hospital capacity to the number of carers available to provide support at home.

Local health and social care partnership now fear it is highly likely some packages of care will need to be reviewed and suspended due to limited staff capacity.

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This means families with a loved one requiring support at home are being asked to consider whether there is anything they could do to relieve pressure on services.

Families are being asked to help Falkirk Care at Home services this festive periodFamilies are being asked to help Falkirk Care at Home services this festive period
Families are being asked to help Falkirk Care at Home services this festive period
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This will ensure people in need receive care at home and individuals waiting to be discharged from hospital can return home during the festive period instead of waiting for a care package to be put in place.

This could include providing meals, assisting with medication or helping with personal care, either in their own home or at the home of their family member.

Patricia Cassidy, Falkirk Health and Social Care Partnership chief officer, said: “We are working hard to continue to provide safe and appropriate levels of care by matching the needs of the people we support to the availability of the care.

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“Unfortunately, we are experiencing significant disruption to our care at home services due to extreme and unsustainable rates of staff absence. This will result in the reduction of care we are able to provide and the need to ask families to support care for their loved one."

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