An emergency service has been launched to help continue support during the coronavirus crisis for people who rely on care in their homes.

Around 3,000 people in Scotland employ their own personal assistants (PAs) to meet their needs, including through self-directed support, and will face sudden disruption if they cannot work due to self-isolation or illness.

With concerns that social care across Scotland is being stretched to breaking point, the Scottish Personal Assistant Employers’ Network (SPAEN) has set up a register aimed at ‘filling in the gaps’.

Individuals who can provide care are being encouraged to come forward so they can be matched at short notice with people seeking support.

While it was originally set up for people employing PAs, there are concerns over filling other gaps in social care with councils struggling to provide   as covid-19 escalates.

Colin Millar, chief executive of SPAEN, said the idea for the register had been established before the official government advice on self-isolating was issued.

“We are going to need a massive database just to be able to fill potential gaps for people who are already PA employers,” he said.

“But it looks like that is going to spill into the agency and statutory care sectors as well.”

Mr Millar said the register would provide employment opportunities, for example, for people who had been paid off or displaced at short notice because of the coronavirus situation.

“If we can reallocate their skills and resources to where it is needed, then hopefully the system become symbiotic and takes care of itself, but it is going to take a massive effort,” he said.

“We will take anyone right now, though ideally people who have been in the care sector and will have relevant disclosure checks.

“It is not a regulated care service, so that will not create a barrier. We are looking at even if you are a neighbour or a friend who could offer some time to somebody.”

The register will follow SPAEN’s model of matching people who need support with people who can offer care. While the employment arrangements are then made directly between individuals, the organisation can provide help with issues such as contracts and payroll.

However Mr Millar said one issue was whether councils would make available funding for people to enable them to pay for their own care if local authority services were cut.

“Obviously a lot of these people won’t have that money sitting around,” he said.

“So probably the quickest and easiest way is for the local authorities to free that money up in some way and then we can find the resource. “

He added: “[The register] has only been running for a day and I think we are up at around 10 folk who have said we are available in these particular areas.

“If we can keep that going we can get people and resources to the right place, but it is just about how we are going to get people paid now.”

Anyone wishing to register with SPAEN should call 01698 250280 or e-mail info@spaen.co.uk

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