Bill to improve care for ageing population

Caring for our older people at home will be vital to ease the pressure on Scotland’s health and social care services, Health Secretary Alex Neil has claimed.

Mr Neil was speaking as a new bill designed to ensure that the health and social care systems work together effectively to improve the provision of care in our communities was published.

Recent figures show the proportion of people in Scotland who are aged over 75 will rise by 80% by 2035 and the 2011 census shows us that, for the first time, there are more people in Scotland aged over 65 than there are under 15.

The Public Bodies (Joint Working) (Scotland) Bill will help Scotland cope with these increasing pressures by reducing unnecessary delays that keep older people in hospital longer than needed and increasing the amount of care that can be provided at home.

The joined up approach is already working well in some areas of Scotland.

The ‘Hospital at Home’ initiative, which has enabled 80% of patients to stay in their home rather than being admitted to hospital, was initially piloted by North Lanarkshire Partnership.

It has been so successful that it is to be adapted for use across Scotland, with NHS boards and their local authority partners trialling similar models.

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