There are only a few weeks to solve a social care crisis in Moray or the whole system could crumble.
A growing workload and a lack of staff is causing additional stress for those working in the sector.
Combined with the issues caused by the pandemic, it has created a “perfect storm”.
The stark picture was revealed to a meeting of the clinical and care governance committee of the Moray Integration Joint Board (IJB).
The committee heard that 111 people who need home care are not receiving it because of a lack of carers.
‘Something has got to give’
A further 148 are waiting to have their needs assessed.
Chief social work officer Jane Mackie said: “Demand has grown and things have built up.
“People are not being assessed in time and those who have been assessed, we’re not able to provide the service we want to give.
“When you want to get more out of less resources something has got to give.
“Home care and home carers are the foundations of the service and if that shakes the whole system could crumble.”
IJB chief officer Simon Bokor-Ingram told the committee the problems are being faced by local authorities across the country and are not unique to Moray.
“Home care and home carers are the foundations of the service and if that shakes the whole system could crumble.”
Chief social work officer Jane Mackie
He said: “Out of the crisis in provision we have an opportunity to reset.
“We have a few weeks, not months, to do this as the pressures are now, and we need to make it sustainable.”
Members agreed measures including a more focused recruitment strategy, additional support for those working in home care and more structured management support for social workers.
Committee vice chairman Councillor Frank Brown called the crisis in social care a “perfect storm” and raised concerns on withdrawing some aspects of the service.
He said: “I’m quite uncomfortable that we should limit the service to critical care only.
“We know if you put a gate on a service it will step up demand, and vulnerable people will be suffering physically and mentally.”
“The home care service is the main stay of our Home First policy.
“If we can’t deliver home care for all the people who need it that drives a coach and horses through that.”
A decision on whether to stop all non-essential work not associated with delivering or supporting front-line services will be taken at the next meeting of the full IJB.
Care at home workers Danielle Todd and Eugenia Lucas gave members an insight into issues faced by those in the profession.
They highlighted issues including a lack of staff, constantly changing rotas and the difficulties of working alone.
Care at home hours have risen by 15%
Ms Todd said while certain medications would require two healthcare workers to administer in hospital, she was doing it alone.
Since the start of the pandemic the number of hours provided for those needing personal and nursing care at home has risen by 15% from 13,000 a week to 14,800.
While 35 new social care assistants were recruited between January and September this year, and eight others had their hours increased, 34 left and 25 staff had their work time reduced.
A drop in family members providing care is also impacting the service, as has an increase in the number of people with complex care needs and those spending their last six months of life at home rather than in hospital.
An actions report and any financial implications of introducing the recommendations will go to the next meeting of the IJB.