NEW OVERNIGHT CARE SERVICE STARTS IN UIST |
22 November 2002 |
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The new overnight care service for people in Berneray, North Uist and Benbecula started this week. It builds on the success of the similar scheme covering Stornoway and the surrounding area in Lewis. The service is run by the Social Work Department of Comhairle nan Eilean Siar, jointly funded by the council and the NHS. A team of four care workers provides the overnight service, with two on shift each night. They help people who need assistance by giving personal care during those times when regular care services are not normally available. This can include helping people settle for the night, giving help with toileting, or undertaking check visits with people who have dementia. The service is also able to pick up emergency referrals during the night. These are coordinated through Faire, the community alarm service. This can make the difference of someone being able to stay safely at home, with necessary care provided, rather than be admitted to hospital. Director of Social Work, Malcolm Smith, commented on the new service. “Our experience with the first overnight team, which has now been in operation throughout this year, is that it has quickly established itself as a very important part of care services in the community. In some cases, it is quite definitely the key service that enables a person with disabilities to continue to be cared for at home. For others, where the person would have remained at home anyway, it represents a real improvement in their quality of life. We’ve had very positive comment from family carers, and I hadn’t fully appreciated just how important the overnight service would prove to be as a reassurance to carers”. Comhairle nan Eilean Siar is already starting local consultation about bringing a third overnight team into operation. Mairi Bremner, Chair of the Social Work Committee, and a member of the local NHS Board, underlined the commitment of both organisations to continuing to make advances in home-based care services. “This service broke new ground for us when it started in Lewis, and has quickly proved its worth. It’s a great example of joint working, and I am absolutely certain that the new team that has started in Uist will be equally appreciated. We have listened carefully to the views of service users, who have said that they want to remain at home where at all possible. Overnight care really does make a difference. “We don’t put all our focus on home care, though; these last weeks have also seen the conclusion of the half million pound redesign of Trianaid Residential Home, and the design work for the new care facility in Daliburgh is proceeding apace.” Nigel Scott Tel: 01851 709389 (Work) |
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