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Hebrides News

Western Isles Council’s social work department faces a massive £1 million financial crisis in looking after elderly people next year, it has emerged.

 

This is on top on an “unavoidable” overspend of £830,000 for the present financial period which Hebrides News revealed yesterday.

 

Social care bosses are battling to cope with pressures from constantly rising demand as the islands’ population grow older and more infirm.

 

Providing more care services requires substantial amounts of extra money at a time budgets are under severe constraints.

 

The problem promises to worsen in the future as nearly 22 % of the islands’ 27,400 population are aged over 65 - nearly 14% more than in the decade up to 2011.

 

By 2037 the Western Isles is projected to have the highest percentage of pensioners in Scotland - some 34% of the islands’ total.

 

Following a similar trend is the falling number of births, meaning much less islanders of working age, making it very difficult to find care employees in some areas.

Social care service faces £1 million financial crisis

26 November 2014

The ever-increasing number of vulnerable elderly people means the council has little choice but to provide essential services.

 

Reflecting the serious challenges facing the service, the social work department works with around £27 million a year, about 25% of the council’s total spending.

 

Finance chief Robert Emmott said there is little choice but to find the cash to increase the department’s base budget by around £500,000 for 2015 to tackle the constant rise in demand.

 

In his annual report,social work chief Iain Macaulay warned: “It is inevitable that as the number of adults and older people requiring care and support increases, the budgetary challenges will escalate.

 

“Additional staff training is also essential so that staff are confident and competent to deliver care to people with multiple conditions and more complex care needs.”