Providers of adult social care in Scotland say they have been told that ‘essential’ funding for covid-19 costs will be pulled at the end of the month, giving them just a fortnight to prepare and risking pushing some out of business.

In written correspondence seen by healthandcare.scot, the Minister for Social Care has told care providers that much of the financial support available to them since the beginning of the pandemic will come to an end on the 30^th of June.

Kevin Stewart MSP said this additional funding “was never intended as a permanent uplift in social care funding” and was “time-limited financial support as services navigated and responded to covid-19”. The government says other support will continue through the summer.

However, independent care providers’ organisation Scottish Care has voiced concerns that removal of this funding is “short-sighted and potentially dangerous” to those who work in and access care and support.

A spokesperson from the organisation told healthandcare.scot:

“The critical issue here is that the personal protective equipment (PPE) and infection prevention and control (IPC) requirements are continuing but two weeks’ notice has not given local government and providers enough time to make up the difference between what is paid under existing contracts and what is necessary.

“We are talking of many pounds per person per week, and for many care homes and homecare organisations this gap will put them out of business.”

Under current guidance, the Scottish government covers additional costs ‘relating to remobilisation and adherence to public health measures’ including staffing, PPE, IPC and the Social Care Staff Support Fund’.

The staff support fund, which allows employers to claim costs incurred if staff have been unable to work due to covid-19, and access to local PPE hubs will remain until the end of September.

However, the new guidance – which will go live on the 1^st of July – says the government will now only cover additional costs associated with covid-19 testing and vaccination.

Scottish Care says removal of funding for infection prevention control measures and PPE “is at complete odds with what is happening on the ground”, with rising rates of covid-19 and the Scottish government having also issued guidance that recommends these measures stay in place:

“Funding for this financial year does not cover the guidance outlining the new way of working, which has kept people safe from covid-19 as this money had been coming from the Scottish government.

“There is no capacity in the system to change this, leaving care providers wondering how they will be able to fill the funding gap. We have all felt the effects of this pandemic and for ministers to remove funding with two weeks’ notice is short-sighted and potentially dangerous to those who work in and access care and support.”

The Scottish government told healthandcare.scot that it has already provided significant support to the sector this financial year, totalling an estimated £15m for April to June; and ministers have agreed to extend that by £6.5m beyond June. 

A Scottish government spokesperson said:

“Covid-19 Financial Support for Adult Social Care Providers has been in place since the outset of the pandemic to support the people who receive care as well as those working in the sector.

“In both 2020‑21 and 2021‑22, the Scottish government has provided additional funding for covid‑19 costs in full. This has been reviewed quarterly and was intended as time-limited financial support as services navigated and responded to covid‑19 and never intended as a permanent uplift. 

“In March 2022, Covid‑19 Financial Support for Adult Social Care Providers was extended until the 30^th of June 2022, and it was confirmed that the current local PPE Hub arrangement will remain in place until the 30^th of September 2022.

“In addition, the Social Care Staff Support fund will now be extended until 30 September 2022 and financial support arrangements related to testing and vaccinations will continue until the 31^st of March 2023.”

 

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